Thief
by divinedragon7
Summary: Danny, kid on the street, thief. Sam, rich girl, daughter of the police chief. When Sam goes to the burned out building Danny haunts he saves her, and against better judgment becomes her friend, and more
1. Chapter 1

(A/N: I know another story when I still haven't finished any others? Well this idea won't let me work on the others so I have to get it out and see where it goes. I have a first few chapters already written so I can post on somewhat of a schedule. Also I know its not the best story I have done but I like the idea, and finally. Stop complaining about my spelling! I swear I misspell one word and I never hear the end of it! Just enjoy the story ok?)

Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom, right?

Thief

Chapter One: Cliché meeting

A loud crash sounded through the small deli, one of the cases of cut meat had fallen and scattered broken shards of glass and ham around the small room. A large man holding a butcher knife ran out from behind the counter shouting at people to get back. Several people who had been waiting for their orders pushed to the side of the room getting out of the butchers way. No one noticed a pale raven haired boy slip out the door.

Danny ducked into an ally a few doors down from the butcher shop. He clutched a tattered green backpack full of meat wrapped in newspaper he had just taken from the deli. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a squashed piece of bread, then ripping the news paper off a small cut of ham he tore open the bread and slipped the meat inside before taking a large bite. He took another large bite but chewed slower this time savoring the flavor.

Danny finished the sandwich just as an African American boy came around the corner, the boy wore baggy green cargo pants with a yellow shirt and red bray. He would normally have been easy pray for any pickpockets or gangsters but none of them messed with him for one simple reason, he was Dannys partner in crime.

Danny stood up when the African boy walked down the ally. "Hey Tuck thanks for the distraction. The Butcher didn't suspect you did he?"

Tuckers face paled slightly and his eyes got wide, "That shelf almost fell on me, I could have been killed!" Then a smile broke out on his face, "Na man, I just pretended I was scared stupid again." That's how they operated on any jobs big and small. Tucker caused a distraction, normally by hacking into a security system while Danny did the stealing. Tucker was brilliant when it came to computers, and Danny had a few talents that made stealing very easy though he had to be very careful with them.

Danny didn't like stealing but it was the only way he could survive, no one would hire a fifteen year old for any job worth doing. He had been on the streets for a little over a year and in that time had earned a reputation as a master thief, the reputation he wished he didn't have. Just the thought of stealing still made his stomach turn.

"Good work Tuck, could you see that this gets to the bridge?" Danny asked tossing the backpack to Tucker.

"Sure, then I need to head home. I have to go to some benefit ball tonight" Tucker unlike Danny didn't live on the streets. He lived with his parents, and they were one of the richest families in Amity city. Having grown up sheltered from the world he had been easy pray about a year ago for some muggers one night. Danny had stepped in and saved him and since that day they had been friends and partners in crime.

Tucker walked back to the street where a black car was waiting for him. Still being only fifteen himself he couldn't use any of his families money but he had full access to their cars and drivers. Before he got in he turned back to Danny, "Want a ride?"

"No thanks I'll walk." Danny said walking deeper into the back alleys of the city. The sun was quickly setting and the night was warm for this late in Autumn. Danny walked down the narrow streets and alleys of the city till he came out on to a wide street running next to a large river. Danny walked across the street ignoring the heavy traffic and leaned against the railing. He looked down into the river, the lights from the city were reflected like millions of stars.

Danny sighed, this was as close to seeing the stars as it was possible to get in the city, normally there was too much haze or light pollution to see the sky at night. Tonight however there was a storm settling over the city.

Once the sun had fully set and the street lights had come on Danny began to make his way back to the burned out building he had been living in for most of his life on the street. It was a three story brick apartment building in the south part of the city passed the river. It had caught fire a few years before and the first floor was a burned out shell covered in ash but the second and third stories had survived fairly well and if Danny climbed a broken beam he could get to the second story with out having to use the charred stairs. He was pretty sure they would crumble if anyone over twenty pounds climbed them.

Hardly anyone every came there so he was fairly confident that he was safe there. Most people were afraid of the building to begin with because it was supposed to be haunted by the ghost of a teenager who had died in the fire. The only down side to this was that every now and then some kids came by to try and summon the teenagers ghost. Danny didn't worry about them to much though, they never chanced the stairs and if they were there to long he made a little noise and they went running.

* * *

Sam Manson sat on a bench at the amity city police department, she wished she was there because of a protest or something like that but sadly she was here everyday after school. Her farther was the chief of police, and to make sure she didn't end up at the police station for something that would embarrass him like a protest he made her come here right after school everyday and wait till he got off work at six.

It wasn't really that bad since she didn't have anything else to do, she didn't have any friends to hang out with or anything. Plus most of the officers were pretty nice. They had a few extra offices in the station and when her father had first been promoted some of the officers had helped her turn one of them at the back of the station on the second floor into a room for her. It had an old desk and some rugs Sam had saved from the garbage down the street.

There were even some plants she had been given by to officers since for some reason people always gave the police plants as a thank you. All in all the room was pretty nice. She also had a good view of the south side of the city, or as it was called here at the station the bum slums.

Sam stared out the window watching the thick clouds wash across the sky. She rested her heavy boots on the desk, she blew a loose strand of hair out of her face for the hundredth time. She was bored out of her mind, her homework lasted about an hour after that she had to find a way to amuse herself. She was contemplating going down to the break room and seeing what had been happening when there was a loud knock on the door. "Come in"

A man of about forty walked in, Sam didn't bother taking her boots off the desk since every officer was used to her pretty much doing as she wanted. "Hello little chief" It was an inside joke at the station to call Sam little chief. "Sorry but your dad is swamped with work tonight and he probably won't be done till about nine. He said I could take you home though during my dinner break if you want."

"Thanks but I couldn't make you waist your dinner break Steve." Sam had other reasons for wanting to be on her own that particular night but better to keep those to herself.

"Oh its no problem at all, I never have anything to do anyways" Steve chuckled, "I have to go do a drive around but I'll be back about seven." He closed the door as he left.

Sam walked over to the door and listened to make sure no one was in the hall, then she grabbed her back pack and tossed on a denim jacket. She walked over to the window and opened it, there had once been a fire escape outside the window and even though it had been removed a long time ago there were still rivets sticking out of the wall. Sam stuck one foot out then the other, she had done this a few times before and knew just where to put her feet.

She quickly made her way down to the ground, then hopped a chain link fence to an ally. She raced down the ally to the street and slowed a little, she had just over an hour to get to where she was going and back again before someone would know she was missing.

Half an hour later she was in the bum slums, garbage littered the street and gutters. She walked fast so as not to be mistaken for on of the girls standing along street corners wearing way too much make up. Then around one more corner she could see her destination, a burned out apartment building. Word around school was that a kid had died in the fire and that his ghost was now trapped in the building.

Sam walked up the steps and pushed on the large blackened door, it gave just enough for her to slip inside. Sam stood still just over the thresh hold trying to let her eyes adjust to the dim light inside. Soon she could see that she was in a hallway with crumbling walls. She took a few steps inside and grew more confident in her night vision.

Most of the walls had large holes in them. Allowing Sam to see into darker rooms deeper with in. Sam made her way into the kitchen, the burned cabinets and counters were still there, no sink, and a table the must have been put in after the fire because it wasn't burned. On the table was a large board with letters painted on it. Must have been left by other kids trying to contact the ghost.

Sam studied the board for a minute, from the layer of dust on it Sam guessed no one had braved to come this far in for awhile. Sam was thinking of asking the board a question just for the heck of it when she heard a clunking from above her. Sam almost jumped but managed to keep her feet on the ground, her heart though was still beating like crazy. "It was just the wind, blowing something over."

Sam started walking again, she went back into the hall and froze, a cold wind blew across her back. And she spun around but there was nothing there. "Clam down Sam, there are no ghosts here. Its just the storm"

Sam had almost convinced herself it _was_ just the storm when a sharp noise came from behind her. She was routed to the spot as new foot steps grew louder. Finally she brought herself to turn around and look at the stairs. As soon as she did the squeaking stopped. Sam thought about bolting for the front door but forced herself to take a step towards the stairs.

* * *

Danny had gotten back to the apartment building later then he had hoped because a corner girl had stopped him and it had taken forever to get away, which had taken him two blocks farther away from home then he had started at. He was just climbing the wooden beam when he heard someone open the front door. Hurrying the rest of the way up Danny quietly made his way to right above the main hallway. A girl wearing a denim jacket over a black tank top and purple and black plaid skirt was looking around. She looked up and Danny saw a beautiful face framed by raven hair like his, her eyes were a light purple color her couldn't quiet name.

Danny shook his head to clear it, the girl might be pretty but he needed to get her out of here as soon as he could. She had moved to the kitchen and was examining the board two high school jocks had left there five months ago. Danny took a few heavy steps, this was normally enough to make people want to leave. Danny looked through a hole to see the girl looking around and saying something to herself that Danny couldn't quiet make out.

She then walked back into the hallway, Danny hoped she was getting ready to run for the door and leave but she stood still for a long time, finally he decided this called for something more serious. It would probably be safe this far away from down town. In a quick flash Dannys face had paled and his hair had turned pure white. Sharp glowing green eyes had replaced his ice blue ones and all his clothes were now black except for his gloves boots and a D on his chest that were white.

He turned invisible and floated to the stairs, putting just enough weight on each on to make a loud squeak. He walked about half way down the stairs, he was sure she was about to make a mad dash for the door but instead she turned around and started walking to the stairs.

Danny floated back up to the second story. "What's up with this girl, she should be screaming by now." He looked around, most of his things were on the third floor but he still didn't want the girl to get this far. He might have to turn visible again and scare her in person though he really didn't want to have to do that.

* * *

Sam walked towards the stairs, her heart was pounding so hard she could barely hear her boots on the floor. The stairs looked old but she put one boot on them then the other. Slowly she made her way towards the second story, the stairs groaned against her weight but so far they had held up. The wind outside howled and whistled through the apartment building and the storm grasped the city. Sam ran her hand along the railing as the staircase climbed upwards. She was half way to the second floor and felt confident there wasn't anything to be afraid of when the stairs fell out from under her. Her head snapped up and she shot down, the last thing she saw were two glowing green eyes.

(A/N: Ok first chapter done. So anyone like?)


	2. Meeting the Girl

(A/N: Ok I wrote most of this chapter around three in the morning. I also had to split it in to two different chapters because it was getting pretty long. I had planed on posting it in a few days but because of all the great reviews I got I'm posting it sooner for everyone, so enjoy!)

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, for some odd reason.

Thief

Chapter 2: Meeting the Girl

Danny watched the girl slowly walk up the stairs. He was about to appear and try to scare her away when the stairs under her suddenly cracked and she fell. Danny expected her to stop after a few feet when she reached floor level but she kept going into a basement that he hadn't even known was there. Danny shot into the basement still invisible, he looked at the girl who seemed to be fine. She was already sitting rubbing her backside.

Then Danny had an idea, he didn't know where it came from or why he decided to do it but it seemed like a good idea at the time. He floated back up to the first floor.

* * *

Sam rubbed her lower back, she had landed on a dirt and ash covered floor. She looked up at the hole about ten feet above her head, small flacks of ash fell from the hole still, landing on her head and shoulders. Sam tried to stand but one of her feet was pinned under a large wooden step. She tried to move it but at the angle she had landed she couldn't get a good grip on it.

"Hey are you alright down there?" Sam looked up and saw a head had appeared over the hole. It was a boy who looked about her age with raven hair and ice blue eyes.

"Yea, I'm just down here for the great view" Sam said gesturing to the total dark basement. The boy looked confused for a minute then got that she was being sarcastic.

* * *

Danny had flown up to the first floor, then making sure no one was around he had changed back in to a human and walked to the edge of the stairs. He looked down the hole the girl had fallen through and saw her trying to move a board off of her foot. "Hey are you alright down there?"

The girl looked up, ash was stuck in her hair but she still looked very pretty, a part of Danny wondered on a side note if it was normal to think a girl who had just fallen through stairs and was now covered in ash was pretty. His musing was interrupted when the girl called back up to him. "Yea, I'm just down here for the great view"

_Great view? What's she talking about, its pitch black down there_. Then it dawned on him that she was being sarcastic. Danny looked around, "Oh well the stairs are already a mess. You might want to cover your head"

Danny checked to make sure the girl was doing as he said then kicked the stairs, most broke away on the first kick. There was a muffled Ow from Sam below. "Sorry about that!"

Danny picked up a part of the stairs railing and lowered it down to us as a ladder, it was flimsy but he thought it would hold him. As soon as he put his foot on it though it broke. "Ok that's not going to work"

"Why don't you just use the stairs?" The girl asked as Danny pulled himself back up.

"What stairs?" The only stairs he could see had a huge hole in it and even if they didn't they went in the wrong direction.

"I can see some over by where the kitchen is, why don't you look for them, unless you want to try your ladder again?"

"Uh no I'll look for the stairs" Danny walked over to the kitchen and looked around for any place where stairs could be. He normally stayed on the second and third floor so it was possible there were stairs here, especially since he hadn't known about the basement to begin with. The kitchen was empty except for the table and there didn't seem to be any stairs, then he noticed a door that he had always assumed lead to a small closet.

Danny walked over and tried the door, it was locked. Making sure he was alone again he put his finger to the lock, it glowed green for a minute before a small beam shot into the door. Danny tried it again and the door groaned inward. On the other side were cramped stairs leading down, he tested them and they seemed sturdy enough.

Danny hurried down them, the basement was dark but enough light filtered down through the hole for him to see. The girl was covered in light and the few peace of ash in the air looked like snow.

"Uh are you alright?" Danny shook his head again, he hadn't realized he'd been standing there starring at her.

* * *

Sam saw the boy come down the stairs and stop, he was looking at her with a look that reminded her of a puppy. Sam felt a blush start to creep over her face. "Uh are you alright?"

The boy shook his head and walked over to her, he bent down and grabbed the wood over her foot. "I'll lift and you pull ok?"

"Alright" Sam said adjusting her weight so she could pull her foot out fast. The boy lifted the board, Sam pulled but her boot was to large to fit and after a few tugs she gave up and the boy put the wood back down, adjusting it so its weight wasn't on her anymore at least.

"You're going to have to take my boot off I guess, so I can pull my foot out." Sam said with a sigh, this was becoming such a hassle.

Sam looked up, the boy had a strange look on his face. "What? I don't have cooties you know"

"Oh no its not that." The boys faced looked funny, and then Sam realized he was blushing!

"Oh, its just a boot its not like I'm asking you to take my pants off."

"You aren't wearing pants" he pointed out, he seemed a little more comfortable now.

Sam smiled, "And how do you know what I'm wearing under this skirt?"

* * *

Dannys face got even redder at that statement. He tried to ignore it anyways and reached down for the girls boot. He gentle held it and started to undo the straps, he fumbled a few times but finally it came lose and he pulled it off. He could feel his face blushing severely, he glanced at the girl and was surprised she seemed to be blushing too.

"Ok lets try again" Danny said preparing to lift the board again. He lifted it as high as he could again and the girl pulled her foot free. He let the board fall back to the ground, he picked up her boot and handed it to her.

Danny was surprised when he handed the boot to the girl and their fingers brushed, it was probably nothing to the girl but that was the most contact Danny had ever really had with a girl before and to his embarrassment his face started to heat up again.

Sam slipped her foot back into her boot, _What's up with this guy? He acts like touching hands is such a big deal, then again for him it could be_ "Thanks for the help…"

"Danny" _Stupid you shouldn't have told her your real name!_

"Thanks Danny, I'm Sam. I'm lucky you came by. What were you doing here by the way? This isn't exactly the friendliest part of town"

"Oh I was just out for a walk, I heard the crash and thought someone might have been hurt." _That's good, she should buy it._ "What were you doing in here anyways?"

"You were out for a walk? And just happened to be walking by when I fell through the stairs?" Sam was very skeptical about Dannys story. She had been around liars a lot at the police station and she could tell when most people were lying, or at least bending the truth.

"Yes, I like to walk" Danny shrugged at her question, "So you didn't tell me what you are doing here."

"Ok two thing. One I don't have to tell you what I'm doing here, and two no one in this part of the city is just 'out for a walk'"

"Well what about you, if this is such an unfriendly place then what were you doing here? In a rundown building?"

"What?! Just cause I'm a girl you think I can't take care of myself? That I should be at home all safe and sound?" Sam poked her finger into Dannys chest. "Only a big strong man can be down here is that it?"

"No! Its just, I mean." Danny fumbled trying to find the right words.

Sam realized she'd been a bit hard on Danny and drew her hand back. "Sorry I'm used to having to fight with my dad to let 'His little princess' do anything."

"Uh that's alright, I should know not to push people when they don't want to talk." Danny said following Sam up the stairs back. He almost went for the beam to go back up to the second story but caught himself and followed Sam out the front door. He'd planned on going which ever way Sam didn't so he could get back up to his floor.

Once on the street Sam headed north, Danny guessed she was going to the bus stop two blocks up. Then he saw two bulky guys with long blond hair tired in a ponytails talking a corner girl. She looked annoyed and he guessed they were trying to sweet talk her in to a freebee. Danny did a quick turn around and started walking next to Sam, he had an odd feeling again and would rather see her to the bus stop.

Danny saw Sam glance at him over her shoulder. He smiled at her "So where are you going?"

"I'm going home." Sams answer made it clear she didn't think it was any of his business.

"Mind if I walk you to the bus stop then?" Danny saw her face darken and quickly raised his hands defensively. "Not that I don't think you can I'm just trying to be the gentleman"

Sam looked ahead again but didn't tell Danny to leave so he kept walking next to her. When they got closer to the corner the two guys took notice of Sam, she must have noticed them too because her walking flattered for a second. It wasn't really noticeable but Danny and the two guys caught it.

The guys must not have been from around this part of the bums, most locals would have backed off of a girl with Danny since rumor had it the mafia watched out for him. It wasn't true of course but it kept most people from messing with him.

Danny moved a little closer to Sam, the guys looked at them and must have decided it would be too much of a hassle to deal with Danny. They went back to sweet talking the girl who rolled her eyes, he also caught a slight smirk when Danny and Sam passed her.

Most people knew the corner girls _did_ work for the mafia, fewer people knew they were also the mafias eyes and ears.

Danny sat down on the bus bench next to Sam, it was a very old one. It wasn't even sheltered from the wind. He looked over at Sam who had her head tilted back, as he watched she let out a long sigh. "Thanks"

Danny was a little confused. "For what?"

"Those guys, at best they would have hit on me, at worst, well anyways thanks" Sam had kept her eyes closed so Danny couldn't tell what she was really thinking but he was impressed. Most girls probably wouldn't have realized how bad things could have gotten.

"So Sam, if you don't mind me asking, what were you really doing in that building?"

Sam cracked an eye open to look at Danny. "Honestly? There's this snob of a girl who goes to my school who was bragging about how she went to the burned out apartments and stood on the steps. Everyone was so impressed that I finally got feed up with it and said, 'big deal that place isn't even haunted! I'll go in and out and prove that its just building.' And so I came down here to prove I was right and she's a big air head."

"Makes since I guess, I've meet a lot of air heads. So you snuck out to prove your point?"

"Who said anything about sneaking out?" Sam was now watching Danny with both eyes.

"Just a guess, I mean most parents wouldn't let their kid come down here. Especially after you said you were used to fighting your dad to do things."

"Your pretty perceptive all of a sudden."

"Well I can be from time to time."

Whatever Sam was about to say was cut short when her phone started to ring, she fished it out of her pocket and her face paled slightly. "Oh shit its Steve"

"Steve?" Dannys heart sunk a little for some reason.

"Steve works with my dad and was going to give me a ride home since my dads working late, I completely forgot about him. What should I tell him?"

"How should I know?"

The phone was still ringing in Sams hands, "I better answer before they send the whole police department after me." She pushed a button and held it to her ear. "Hello? Oh hi Steve…. I know but I didn't want you to waist your dinner break so I caught a bus… Yes that's why it took me a minute to answer I was just getting on… I know my dad wouldn't want me taking the bus but I can take care of myself… Yes I'm fine….Well I'll call him when I get home then so he knows I'm fine… Ok bye"

Sam hung up the phone and put it back into his pocket. She didn't say anything to Danny for a few minutes. Finally he couldn't take it anymore, "So Sam where do you live?"

"Amity Heights Tower." Sam had closed her eyes again and was facing the sky.

"Amity Heights? Wow your family must be rich." Danny was impressed. Amity Heights was one of the tallest buildings in the city, you could even see it from the bums. It coast a fortune a month to live there.

"My Dad does make a lot but most of the moneys my mom."

"Still wow, an apartment there coasts a fortune."

Sam coughed, "An apartment? Try the top five floors. I know over kill but my parents like showing off."

"Uh yea, what does your family do with five floors?"

"Well the lowest floors the reception area where my parents hold parties and stuff, they live on the second, third is a kind of an office, fourth my grandma has but she lets me use a few of her rooms, and I get the fifth to myself."

"Cool, that must be like having your own house."

"Yea it kind of is, I wish my parents were around a bit more though. Ug why am I even telling you all this, I barely know you."

"I guess you just trust me." Danny had been wondering the same thing though, why was she telling him so much, why hadn't he just helped her and left, why hadn't she been scared enough to leave sooner, why was he still here talking to her?

"For all I know you're a drug dealer, no offence."

Danny looked around, "Considering where we are none taken." Dannys stomach suddenly gave a loud growl.

Sam tried to keep from laughing but couldn't. She burst out and almost fell off the bench.

"What?"

"Sorry but I haven't heard anyone's stomach roar like that since second grade. Guess you haven't eaten yet?"

"Not really." Danny kept an arm over his stomach silently cursing it for what it had just done.

When Sams breathing had finally returned to normal she looked back at Danny. "Well I guess I do owe you for helping me back there, why don't you come over and have dinner with me."

"Really? But won't your parents think its weird you just brought me home?"

"My dads working late, my moms in Paris, and my grandmother won't care. Besides you already know where I live so if your going to do anything I might as well save you the trouble of breaking in. Though I'm a pretty good judge of character."

Danny thought about it, he knew he shouldn't, it was down town, he didn't need to get any more involved with Sam then he already was. There were a lot of reasons against it but finally he said "Alright"

(A/N: Hope you all like, well I'm off to go into a food coma so leave me some nice reviews for when I wake up hehe jk)


	3. Dinner

(A/N: Sorry this took some time to get up I've been trying to update but Fanfiction hasn't been working for me, also my classes decided to give a lot of home work all at once. I have also been distracted by static shocks, which I seem to receive when ever I touch something. They do hurt after awhile. Well enjoy and, I'm sure there was something else I was going to say but I can't remember)

Disclaimer: No, no I do not own Danny Phantom

Thief

Chapter three: Dinner

Danny sat next to Sam on a crowded city bus, they had only been riding for ten minutes and Danny guessed by the traffic that it'd take another half an hour to reach down town. No one seemed to mind though since they all appeared to be lost in their own worlds staring out the windows at the light drizzle that was beginning to fall. Even Sam was looking at the city pass by, Danny could see her reflection in the window and thought she had a sad look but it was hard for him to tell.

"So what's your mom doing in Paris?" Danny said trying to shake her from what ever sad thoughts had claimed her.

"She's probably hosting parties, that's her life's work. Hold the best parties and mingle with the high class"

"Oh, that must be fun."

"For her it is, she loves dressing me up and showing me off to all her friends."

"Doesn't sound like you like it much though."

"They don't like me the way I am." Sam said with a cold face

"I can relate" The rest to the rise was uneventful. Though Danny did think Sams face was a little more relaxed. The bus stop closest to Amity Heights was about a block away. Luckily for them it was a newer covered stop so they were not immediately soaked by the rain which was picking up.

The sidewalk was fairly deserted most people having the common since to stay out of the rain. Danny glanced at Sam who had a small grin on her face. "Sam?"

"Race you!" Sam took off down the street pulling her jacket over her head. Danny shout after her, he was determined not to lose. They were neck and neck, laughing like crazy people. Danny pulled ahead of Sam and made it through the front door of the Amity Heights.

And crashed straight into a doorman who had been inside hiding from the rain. He wasn't large but Danny felt like he had run head long into a brick wall. Danny would have bounced right off if his hands hadn't grabbed him and held him at arms length. "I am sorry sir but you must have a reservation or an apartment to enter. While I understand trying to get out of the rain I must ask you to leave."

Danny glanced behind him looking for Sam hoping she would help him, but she was nowhere to be seen. "Uh I have a friend who live here, she was right behind me."

The doorman looked Danny up and down, Danny knew he looked like a street kid. The thought that this had all been a set up fluttered across Dannys mind but he pushed that away.

The front door opened again and Sam came in panting, "Man you're fast"

The doorman's face softened when he saw Sam, "Hello Miss Manson."

"Hi Jack, you can put him down he's with me" Jack set Danny down and bowed.

"My apologies sir"

"That's alright" Danny said as Sam lead him across the lobby and into an elevator. The elevator had reflective gold siding and detailed woodwork around the door. Sam was leaning against the wall still trying to catch her breath.

"I can't believe you were so fast, that was crazy."

Danny looked off to the side, he hadn't meant to go that fast. He'd have to be more careful. "I guess I was just lucky or something"

Sam gave him a weird look but didn't ask what he had meant by it. When the elevator doors slide open Sam walked out and Danny followed, she led him to another elevator. "These go up to the top ten floors, private elevators." Sam explained.

Danny watched Sam as she bent over slightly to push the button to call the elevator. While Danny was watching Sam his belt became intangible for a second and his pants slide down. Sam turned around and stared wide eyed at Dannys white boxers, with little hearts on them.

"Ah sorry!, stupid belt." Danny tried to pull his pants up and fumbled with the clasp, Sam was trying not to laugh her head off again at him. The elevator binged and an older woman stepped out, she took one glace at Danny fumbling with his pants and belt and at Sam who's face was flushed from the race and trying not to Laugh. It wasn't hard to guess at what she was thinking though both Sam and Danny just ignored her and her distasteful sneer.

Danny hopped into the elevator after Sam still trying to get his pants fixed. "Sorry, the belt slipped I swear."

"Relax, anyone wearing boxers like that wouldn't have the guts to pull their pants down in front of a girl."

"Thanks, I think." He finally got his pants on just as the doors opened to reveal a long hallway with purple carpet.

Sam stepped out, "Welcome to my floor." Danny looked around, the carpet was a purple that matched Sams eyes and the walls were painted black, the hall lead out into a large room that was partially sunken and surrounded by windows that looked out on to the rainy city.

Danny stood their in awe, there was a wrap around couch that looked like it could seat twenty. There were large potted plants along the walls and to his right was an open kitchen with wood flooring. He walked over to the windows and looked out at the ninety-degree view that Sam had, even in the rain the city was amazing. He rarely got to see down town from this height or this close up.

Sam walked up behind him, "pretty cool isn't it"

Danny jumped a little but regained his composure, "Yea its great"

"Yea, one of the up sides to having rich parents. Plus I can pretty much do with this place as I want."

They looked out the window, it would have been a great moment except Dannys stomach announced that it was still waiting for dinner. Sam smiled and went over to the kitchen, Danny followed to see if there was anything he could do to help.

Sam stopped part way there and pushed play on her answering machine. A mans voice came on, "Sorry Sammy but works going to be keeping me late tonight, I might not even be able to make it home tonight."

Danny followed Sam and looked at her kitchen, it was pretty normal though everything from the floor to the counters seemed to be made of wood, only the modern appliances broke the grain of the wood. Sam notice him looking at the counters and guess what he was thinking. "Yea I don't like it either but my parents said I needed some class up here. I hate seeing all these trees cut down and chopped up for decoration."

She started pulling out pots and vegetables, "I don't suppose you know how to cook anything do you?"

"I can make salsa"

Sam smiled, "Then get cooking"

Danny opened the fridge and pulled out some peppers and other things he needed. When he closed the door he caught sight of a small piece of paper taped to the door.

_Sam, out all night with bowling buddies, G_

"Hey Sam? Who's G?"

"Oh that's from my grandmother" Sam smiled at Dannys face, everyone thought her grandmother was a little off but Sam liked her, they were very much alike. "I hope you don't mind but I'm an ultra recycle vegetarian."

"Nothing with a face eight?" Danny asked as his hands whizzed across the chopping board.

"Yea, you're the first person to get that."

Danny shrugged dicing and chopping everything.

Sam and Danny sat at Sams small table eating some kind of spicy soup with a name Danny couldn't pronounce. It was very good though and Danny ended up eating three bowls before he finally had to stop or pass out in the bowl.

Sam put the bowls in the sink saying she'd do them later. "Now lets see how good this salsa is."

She took out a bag of chips and dipped one into the bowl, "Mmmm, where did you learn to make this?"

"My sister taught me." Danny hadn't talked about his sister in a long time, suddenly he realized it was to dangerous to be there. He shouldn't have come in the first place and the sooner he left the better. "Sorry but I should be going."

"Alright but hold on one second." Sam opened a closet door and started rummaging around. Danny couldn't help but watch her, was she taller then her thought?

Danny looked down and saw he had sunken almost a foot into the floor, he quickly jumped back up before Sam turned back around with a large blue umbrella. "Here its still pouring out there."

"Um, thanks. I'll return it to the doorman tomorrow." He said taking it and walking towards the elevator. Sam followed him and pushed to down button. "Sam why are you coming?"

"I'm just seeing you to the front door. It's the polite thing to do I believe."

"You struck me more as the, speaking her mind type not the polite type."

Sam hit Danny playfully on the arm, "So I was trying to be nice."

Danny faked mock surprise, "Really? I am honored."

Sam pulled her fist back to hit Danny again but instead she crashed into him when the elevator jerked to a stop and the lights flickered off.

(A/N: Hope you liked. I'll try and get the next chapter up soon, I hope)


	4. Midnight Snack

(A/N: Sorry for the wait, I got sick last weekend so I had some reports I had to catch up on. And a few computer troubles too. I'll try and get another chapter up this weekend as an apology. Hope you like.)

Disclaimer: I do own Danny Phantom I do own Danny Phantom I do own Danny Phantom, hmm guess I don't

Thief

Chapter Four: Midnight Snack

Sam had pulled her fist back to hit Danny again but instead feel against him as the elevator jerked to a stop and the lights flickered out. Danny and Sam instinctively grasped each other, till they realized what they were doing and jump apart each mumbling an apology

Sam reached over and pressed the emergency call button but nothing happened. "Looks like the powers out."

"As fancy as this place is you'd think they'd have some back up power." Danny said looking around the small dark space.

"They do, it should have kicked in by now." Sam sat down in the corner, "Guess we should wait, nothing more we can do."

Danny leaned against the wall, it looked like he was deep in thought but really he was making sure that if he had to he could ghost himself and Sam out of there. Though that would be a last resort.

"So you have a sister? What's she like?" Danny was shaken from his thoughts by Sams questions.

"Oh, she's, nice." Danny had made it a point to try and keep anything about himself hidden, so far he'd done a good job, till Sam came along.

"Just nice? So where do you live?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Just making conversation. What do your parents do?"

Danny thought about just taking his chances and getting out of there, something about Sams calm expression was a bit unnerving. In the end though he gave in. "My parents hunt ghosts."

Sam raised an eyebrow, "Are you serious? They really hunt ghosts?" When Danny nodded Sam smiled, "Cool, so how do they do it?"

Normally when people learned what Dannys parents did they didn't believe or thought they were weird and total nutcases, and here was a girl who seemed to simple except the answer and might even be interested. Danny would have been happy if he had known her a year and a half ago, now another ghost hunter wasn't something he needed.

"You really want to know?"

"Incase you hadn't noticed I'm a Goth, ghost go with that territory"

"They invented a lot of things, well my mom did. She's also the best shot and not as easily distracted. They've made everything from guns to shot ghosts to a thermos that can capture them."

"A thermos? Like for soup?"

"Yea, but I don't recommend eating anything that comes out My dad was even working on a battle suit that could increase a persons straenght by 100 times."

"What for?"

"To fight really strong ghosts I guess, or because he was bored and thought it would be cool. Either way it has one big draw back, it sucks power out of the person wearing it so you couldn't use it for long."

"What did your parents do with a ghost when they got one?"

"Well they never actually caught one before. My dad plans to dissect on molecule by molecule" Danny hopped Sam couldn't see the small shudder that went through Danny.

"They evn built a ghost portal to catch them, but it didn't work so I" Danny stopped realizing he'd already said way to much, how did Sam get him to do that?

"But you did what?"

"Nothing never mind. I've told you a lot about my family but you haven't said much about yours? Any sisters?" Danny hoped Sam couldn't tell he was trying to change the topic.

"No I'm an only child. I'm not sure my parents could stand another. They're both big on being at the very top of the social ladder. My mom thinks there's something wrong with me because I wear black so much. I can't even name how many times she's tried to fill my closet with pink dresses."

Sam cringed at the thought of all that pink, Danny couldn't blame her. " She spent most of the last year in Europe hosting parties. My Dads the chief of police."

Danny looked around nervously, that wasn't good. Sam noticed but didn't mention it as she went on. "He's been trying to keep a close eye on me since I was arrested for an animal rights protest last year."

"You mean the one in front of Acme labs?"

"Yea, it was a huge embarrassment to him. Now he has me at the police station most of the time. At least most of the officers are nice so its not to bad for the most part. I'm sure he would do the same thing to my grandmother if he could."

"Why?"

"She's not the typical senior citizen. She even had her motorized scooter painted lightning silver and got it up to eighty miles an hour once."

"Your not serious are you?" Danny realized it was hard to tell when Sam was telling the truth and when she wasn't sometimes.

"You meet her then you tell me." Sam drew he knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. "So how long have you lived in that burned out building?"

Danny swallowed, "How'd you know?"

"I didn't till just now."

Danny felt like hitting himself, he should have denied it. Oh well to late for that now. "I've been there about a year."

"How come?"

"I'd prefer not to say" Danny had no idea what to do, well he did but he wouldn't. He knew he should get out of there as fast as he could, Sam knew he was homeless now and her dad was the police chief.

The lights flickered on and Sam stood up. She pressed the button and the elevator began to rise. "Uh Sam why are we going back up?"

"Well there's a bad storm outside, you have no place to go, and I have more then enough room. So you're going to spend the night with me."

"What? No I really need to go." This was not turning out to be his night.

The door slide open again to Sams black hallway, "Come on" Sam grabbed Dannys arm and dragged him back in, down a second side hall and pushed him through a dark wood door.

"Hey wait, isn't this kidnapping or something?"

"Nope. You can sleep here tonight." Sam walked over to a closet and tossed out some clothes. "These should fit you."

"Ok hold on. Why do you have a closet full of guys clothes?"

"I've had to dress up like a guy a few times before."

Danny dropped it deciding he probably didn't want to know. "Ok, then why are you just letting me stay her?"

Sam paused and considered it, she really didn't know but it seemed to be the right thing to do. "I don't know, I just have a feeling I should."

* * *

Danny starred into the darkness, it was close to three in the morning and despite his efforts Sam had convinced him to stay the night. He did have to admit it was nice to sleep in a real bed again, it was warm and very comfortable. Even by normal standards.

The building hummed softly with the storm which had been picking up steadily for several hours. Dannys stomach growled and he decide to go have some of his salsa, after all he hadn't been able to make any of it since he had started living on the street.

The thick carpeting muffled his footfalls as he made his way into the kitchen, he didn't bother turning on any lights since he didn't want to wake Sam. He grabbed some chips and sat down to eat. Not long after he heard movement in the hall.

Sam couldn't sleep, it wasn't the storm they didn't bother her too much. It was just that everything felt off, honestly they had for several days now. That was one reason she had Danny stay, with him around things, well they still felt off but not so wrong.

She sat up, since it was clear she wouldn't be getting any sleep she might as well go watch the storm. Since Sam was little, whenever she couldn't sleep she'd go out into the living room and stair out the big windows at the city.

Sam slipped on a purple robe over her black nightgown, normally she wouldn't have bothered with one but she didn't want to accidentally show Danny anything if he got up early. Not that it wasn't tempting, just to see his reaction.

Walking down the dark hallway she paused to wonder if Danny was still there or if he'd left when he thought she was asleep, then dismissed the thought and sat on the couch. She was listening to the rain as it hit the windows. "Hey couldn't sleep either?"

Sam grabbed a pillow and tossed it behind her at the sound of the voice.

The pillow hit Danny right in the face, "Danny? What the hell are you trying to kill me?"

"Sorry, I was getting a midnight snack." He picked up the pillow, "Thanks for the concussion."

"You shouldn't have scared me like that. Oh well you might as well join me."

Danny sat down next to Sam and looked out at the rain. "So got something on your mind?"

"Hm? What makes you ask that?"

"My sister used to say that if I couldn't sleep I had something on my mind. Though for all I know your just a night owl."

"I'm a night owl, but I do have something on my mind. I'm worried about my dad he's been working really hard on his case. It has something to do with the mafia, and a thief they use sometimes called Phantom."

Danny stomach turned, not because her dad might catch him but because he was particle responsible for her worries. "I'm sure, um, I'm sure I should say something comforting now but I can't really think of anything.. Sorry"

"Its ok, nice to have someone tell me the truth." Sam leaned back and closed her eyes. Danny did the same, sometime later his mind had wondered in to an almost dream like state. Then he felt a pressure on his shoulder, opening an eye he saw Sam was resting her head against him.

He wasn't sure whether he should move her or not, but she looked so peaceful he decided to let her stay and soon had nodded off himself.

When Danny woke up with a jerk he knew two things, Sam was no longer next to or on him and something hard had just poked him hard in his side.

(A/N: I have the next chapter about ready so it should be up soon.)


	5. The Job

(A/N: Ok as promised here's the next chapter. I would kind of have liked to wait till I got a few more reviews but I keep my promises. Enjoy!)

Disclaimer: Nope still don't own it.

Thief

Chapter five: The Job

Danny awoke with a jolt, two things were present to him at once. One Sam wasn't near or on him and something hard had just poked him in the side. He twisted on the couch and fell onto the floor with a hard thump. A cover had somehow ended up on him and he was now struggling to get out of it. The hard thing poked him again through the cover and he rolled trying to get away

His head finally broke through the cover and he looked up to see a very old woman on some kind of scooter poking him with a long wooden cane. "Up, Up sonny."

"Grandma! Stop that!" Sam said coming over and taking the cane away from here.

"Aw, I was just waking him up." She pouted and drove away to the kitchen.

Danny looked at Sam, he was dazed and confused. It took him a minute to fully realize he was still at Sams and that her grandmother had just been poking him for some reason.

"Sorry Danny. Are you alright?" she reached down and helped him up.

"Yea I'm fine, why was your grandmother poking me? And where did the killer cover come from?" Danny kicked at the cover, which was still wrapped around his foot.

"She came in earlier to check on me and, um found us sleeping together." Sam blushed at the way she had said it. "She thought we looked cold. So she got us a cover."

"Ok, but the poking?"

"I'm not really sure, that's just her. Come on I made some breakfast." Sam said walking back into the kitchen. Her grandmother was already there with a plate of toast in her hands.

She pulled up next to Danny and looked him in the eyes. "No verado nictoe"

"Um, what?"

"Grandma! Stop freaking him out."

"What? Come on Sammy, I can't freak your father out anymore."

"That doesn't mean you can freak Danny out." Sam said while she put toast on her own plate. Then set another plate full of pancakes on the table and took a seat.

"Meanys, won't even let an old woman have her fun."

Danny wasn't sure what to do so he sat down and helped himself to some pancakes. He was also convinced that Sams grandmother was looking at him when ever he wasn't watching her.

When breakfast was done Sam and Danny walked over to the elevator. They stepped inside and as soon as the door closed Danny let out a sigh of relief. "You grandmother isn't going to tell your dad I was here is she? I don't want you to get you in trouble"

"No, I think she likes you actually."

"Likes me?" That was either a relief or creepy, Danny wasn't sure which.

"Don't worry about it, she wouldn't tell anyone unless she thought I was in trouble. And if she thought you were trouble she would have done a lot worse then poke you. So you're going back to the apartment building?"

"Yea, the rain stopped so it should be fine."

"You know, if you wanted, you could stay here for awhile long."

"Thanks but I need to get going."

"Ok, but promise you'll stop by again?"

Danny hesitate, he knew he shouldn't but something in him cringed at the thought of not coming back to see Sam.. "Ok I promise."

Sam smiled and walked him out the front door. The doorman nodded to them as they passed.

Danny took the bus back to the bums and then walked the last two blocks to the apartments. He was almost home when he noticed a corner girl standing near the far corner of the block. That meant he had a job.

Danny ducked into an ally and quickly changed into his other form. He ducked into the apartments and shrugged on an old coat he kept there to conceal his normal costume.

He ghosted out of the building and back into the ally. He stepped back onto the street and walked to the corner girl. She smiled at him, "What can I do you for."

"I was wondering if you could get me some work" For some reason the mafia insisted on these stupid codes. As if there were any other white haired green eyed teenagers walking around the bums.

"Maybe, what can you do?"

"I'm good with my hands."

She smiled and handed Danny a small envelope before walking away. He took it and disappeared back into the ally. He made his way up to the third floor and opened the envelope. And two peaces of paper fell out. A picture and a note.

The picture was of a gold ball with a ruby set at the top and an emerald set at the bottom.

The eye of Sir Palden, on loan to Amity Museum. Left wing center walk way. Normal drop. Two days.

Danny looked at the picture again. It seemed like a straightforward job, Tuck could do a little fiddling with the cameras.

* * *

The next day Danny walked down the left wing of the museum. Tucker was a few paces behind him, every hundred yards or so Danny would have to drag him away from a group of girls he was hitting on.

Danny paused, there on a small stand protected buy thick glass was the Eye of Sir Palden. There was a crowd of people standing around it taking pictures. "Well Tuck what do you think?"

When Tucker didn't answer Danny turned around expecting to find him flirting with some girls, instead he saw him looking at a painting of some girls dancing in a meadow. "Given up on real girls?"

"No, just admiring my work."

"You did that?" Danny look at the painting closer, before they had meet Tucker and tried his hand at art counterfeiting. While he never got good enough to fool really big museums he still managed to sell a few here or there. Normally after he had somehow gotten a hold of the real painting.

"Yea, three years ago I believe." Tucker turned and looked at the Eye, "Hmm four cameras. I can do those. But I'm guessing they have ultraviolet beams too. If they are on the main system no problem, but if they are each on their own circuit and alarm."

"Ok well take it tonight." Danny said looking around again.

"Sounds good. In the meantime I'll go introduce myself to those lovely ladies."

* * *

Just before eleven PM Danny and Tucker stood near the loading doors of the museum. Tucker pulled his coat up against the sudden chill the night had brought, "You almost ready Danny? I'm freezing"

"Uh, oh yea. Think you can open this door?"

"Sure, just let me take care of the alarm. You know this would be easier if you just went through the wall."

"I've told you Tuck, I don't want to this close to down town." Danny looked up and down the ally while Tucker touched the screen on his PDA. He had an uneasy feeling in his stomach, his sense of guilt had sky rocketed since he had meet Sam. Plus he had an odd chill, and not from the cold.

"Ok were in" Tucker opened the door and they walked in. "I also set the cameras on loops."

"Good, any live guards?" Danny asked looking around, Last time they had forgotten about live guards Danny had gotten a very nasty bite on his leg.

"Just one, and a dog. Should we wait for them to past? It'll be about ten minutes till they're past the Eye."

"Yea." Danny sat down and leaned against a crate. He closed his eyes and pictured the halls they would take to reach the Eye. He pictured himself moving down the halls, unfortunately Sam stepped out and stopped him. Despite his best efforts Danny couldn't get his mind away from Sam.

"Ok he's past Danny."

"Alright lets go." Danny stood up and Tucker started to laugh. "What?"

"Man I've heard of some weird thieves before but never any that didn't wear pants." Danny looked down and saw he'd ghosted out of his pants, again.

"Ug, not again." Danny yanked his pants up and walked ahead of Tucker into the hall.

"Again? When was the last time this happened?"

"Never mind Tuck." He really didn't want to tell Tucker about Sam, he wasn't worried but knew Tucker would love to tease him about it.

"Come on, I've never seen you lose control of your powers like that, at least not for the last year."

"I said drop it Tuck." Danny came to the area where the Eye sat on its small pillar. The ruby glinted with what little starlight filtered through the skylight above. "Ok everything set?"

"Yup, just reach in and grab it."

Danny walked over to the Eye, no alarms were blaring which was good. He put his hand against the glass. Danny felt the guilt rise in him again but he got it under control remembering the bridge. He took a deep breath and let his hand slide through the glass and touch the Eye.

Suddenly alarm lights were flashing around him and he saw a green dome dropping over the skylight. _Crap_ He grabbed the Eye and tosses it to Tucker. "You remember where the drop house is?"

"Yea, wait what are you going to do?"

"Take the Eye and drop it of, you know what to do with the money."

"Whoa you want me to just leave you here don't you!"

"Go!" Tucker glanced at the exit then back and Danny. Danny was about to fire a small ghost beam at Tuckers feet to get him going but Tucker took off first.

Danny slammed his hand into the glass case shattering it, he ignored the pain in his hand. He could hear the guard and his dog running down another hall. Danny ran down a side corridor trying to find another way out. Someone shouted at him but he ignored the yells and kept running. Then he heard the dog coming up behind him, there was only one thing he could think to do.

Danny made a sharp right turn down a narrow hall lined with paintings. The dog skidded but couldn't keep its footing and went sliding away from him. Then he spotted a fire exit, and slammed into it throwing the door open. The ghost shield shimmered in front of him, if he could just get past it he could get away.

Then came the loud bang of a gun being fired and Danny felt something slice through his arm, he staggered right in front of the ghost shield.

(A/N: ok I'll update soon, review!)


	6. New Roommate

(A/N: Sorry this is so late in getting up I have been swamped with school stuff. I've had this sitting on my computer for over a week but never enough time to fix it up. I don't know how long it will take to get the next chapter up though. Oh and sorry for leaving you with the cliff hanger in the last chapter, you guys are going to start hating me soon for this hehe)

Disclaimer: I am told I still do not own Danny Phantom

Thief

Chapter six: New roommate

Sam was sitting at the desk in her room staring at the screen of her laptop. She wasn't really doing anything besides surfing the internet not even paying attention to what she was clicking. Her grandmother was out bowling again, her and her friends were in a tournament. Since Danny had left things felt very different, not dead but like everything had just gone to sleep.

She closed the laptops lid and got up stretching. Sam went into the kitchen to see if there was anything to munch on, she really needed to go shopping tomorrow. That was another thing her parents didn't understand, why she would want to do her own shopping when she could just have anything she wanted delivered.

Sam walked into the living room and reached over to turn on the light, then froze. Right in front of her were two glowing green eyes. They were the ones she had seen right before she meet Danny. The eyes belonged to a boy around her age, white haired and very pale. He had on a black jump suit and white gloves, one of them however was stained green where the boy was holding his arm. He opened his mouth to say something but instead collapsed.

Sam steppe forward to help the boy when a white ring appeared around his waist. It spread along his body and left Danny laying there holding his arm with blood seeping through his fingers. He was still just as pale.

* * *

Danny wasn't sure if he was awake or not, his whole body seemed the throb with his heart. _I guess that means I'm alive at least_. He cracked open an eye and squinted against the light. It was probably not the bright but right now it was nearly blinding.

He forced his other eye open and tilted his head. He had the blink a few times before they could really see anything. When his vision cleared he saw Sam with her head laying on top of the bed. There was a small bowl of water on the table next to the bed and a large white box with a red cross on it.

He turned his head more and a cloth fell of his head. He nearly cried out as it landed on his arm. There was a large white bandage wrapped around it. Danny tried to sit up but his body protested.

Sam stirred and sat. Her eyes opened and saw Danny looking back at her. Her first impulse was to hug him but she checked it, "So you're finally up?"

Danny tried to open his mouth but it felt like sandpaper and he couldn't make any real sounds. Sam held a small cup of water to his lips and he took a few sips. "Thanks"

"Good, now what the hell happened!"

"What do you mean?"

"What do I mean? You show up her in the middle of the night with white hair and glowing green eyes. Your arm was bleeding like crazy and you just collapsed on my living room floor."

Danny lay his head back against the pillow. It looked like he didn't have a choice. "Ok, where to start."

"The beginning is always a good place."

"I told you my parents were ghost hunters, and how they built a ghost portal. Well it didn't work, so I decided to take a look at it. I forgot to unplug it first, some how when I was in there I turned it on and was, Zapped. When I came to I had white hair and green eyes, not to mention my jumpsuit had turned black. The ghost portal fused ghost powers into me, I left so my parents wouldn't experiment on me."

"Do you think they would have really done that?"

"You don't know them, they are crazy when it comes to ghosts, especially my dad." Danny sat up in bed "Ug, I guess I should go."

Sam pushed him back down into bed. "No way, you can barely sit up."

"What? Hello I'm a half ghost freak. My own parents want to dissect me!"

"So?"

Danny made his hand turn invisible. "Listen Danny, I don't care. Goth remember? Ghosts are part of the traitor."

Danny was to tired to argue with her anymore. He closed his eyes and was asleep in seconds.

* * *

When Danny woke up he still felt horrible but at least his whole body wasn't throbbing. He sat up and looked around, Sam wasn't anywhere to be seen. Danny pulled back the covers and stood up, after steadying himself he walked out into the hall.

He found Sam in the living room, it was night and she was looking at the city lights. Danny sat down next to her. "Thanks"

"What happened to your arm?"

"Alright, I owe you. I kind of do odd jobs for the mafia" He expected Sam to hit him or gasp or shout or something, but she just sat there listing. " When I first ran away I had no money so I had to use my ghost powers to steal food and a few dollars here and there. If I found an empty house or a hotel that didn't have many costomers I'd sneak in and stay the night. One night I tried to steal some food from a mafia lords house. Some of his guards caught me, luckily I wasn't in ghost form then. Instead of trying to kill me he was impressed I had gotten in. Every now and then they have me steal something for them, just things from museums."

"You're the Phantom my dads been after?"

"Yea, so are you going to tell him?"

Sam thought about it, "I should, but no. Why do you take the jobs though?"

"There are people who need money, I give most of it to them."

Sam tilted her head back, which Danny had learned meant she was in deep thought. "Ok guess there's only one thing to do" She stood up, "I'm going to have to make sure you don't do any more thievery. Which means you're going to have to stay here where I can keep an eye on you."

"What, but"

"No butts!"

Danny swallowed, "Yes Mama."

"Good now come on I need to change that bandage." Sam lead Danny back into his room. She sat on the bed with him and untied his bandage, Danny winced and she took it off. "Your really lucky you know that? What ever hit you only cut your arm but missed everything important."

She finished wrapping Dannys new bandage on to his arm, "Well that's done, so are you hungry?"

As soon as Sam mentioned being hungry Danny realized he was starving, which his stomach announced with a loud grumble. Sam smile, "Guess we better get some food in you."

Danny tried to help Sam with dinner but she kept pushing him out of the kitchen and telling him to sit down. After dinner she told him to go lay own again, Danny would have argued but he was tired. He went back to his room and decided to take a shower before going to bed.

Most of the clothes in the closet were to Goth for Danny so he grabbed a black t-shirt and black jeans. He went into the bathroom and turned the water on to hot. Danny took off the bandage Sam had wrapped around his arm, the cut was deep and still hurt a lot but was already healing.

He let the water wash over him taking the dirt away, the hot water helped him work out several kinks in his arm and loosen his muscles. It was nice to be able to take his time for once and not have to worry about the owner of the place coming back, that had been a lot of trouble.

* * *

Sam walked into Danny's room to make sure he hadn't dissappered. He wasn't in his bed but Sam could hear the water running in the shower. She was about to leave when she noticed the door to the bathroom was slightly ajar. She was tempted to look for a minute, just to make sure he really was in there and hadn't snuck out. _Hold it right there, I'm not a peeping Tom. No reason to not teach him a little lesion though._ Sam walk over to the corner where Dannys cloths were and picked up the pile. Then walked out.

Danny stepped out of the shower and grabbed the clothes he'd set on the counter, he dried himself off and put the cloths on. He picked up all the towels to add to his pile of dirty laundry. When he went back into his room though he couldn't find his clothes. "Maybe Sam took them, but why would she have been in here?"

Sam was sitting at her kitchen table sipping something hot when Danny walked in. She turned her face to hide a slight blush, Danny looked good, really good. His hair was still damp from his shower. "Hey Sam have you seen the clothes I was wearing earlier?"

"Oh uh yea. I thought they could use a washing."

"Oh thanks" Danny sat down opposite Sam. There was a uncomfortable silence, before either of them could of think of something to break the silence Sam grandmother drove in.

"Oh your friends back?" She drove up and parked her scooter next to Danny. She looked him up and down.

"Grandma, Dannys going to be staying here for awhile."

"Well you could do worse in a boyfriend. Oh he's got some muscles too!"

"He's not my boyfriend!" it came out louder then Sam had intended.

Dannys chest tightened a little when Sam said it, he knew they weren't dating but some small part of his mind had been hoping. Oh well it was still better that he didn't get Sam any more involved then she was, if that was possible.

"What ever you say Sammy, just don't let your dad find him. He'd probably arrest the poor boy."

Danny tried not to think about that. "Dads hardly ever home so I don't think that will be a problem."

"Oh that reminds me why I came up here, your father called. He's on his way home."

"What! When?"

The elevator door pinged, "Samantha honey! I'm home"

(A/N: I ended it here because the next place I could end it would really make you hate me)


	7. A hard night

(A/N: I hope everyone likes this chapter, not the best but it's the best I can do between all the stuff I have to do for my senior year, also I start a new job Monday but that shouldn't affect this story.)

Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom

Thief

Chapter Seven: A hard night

Sam almost shot out of her seat, "Grandma hide Danny!"

Sams father was halfway around the corner when she tackled him with a hug. "Whoa sweetie"

"Sorry it just feels like forever since you've been home." Her father tried to get up but Sam shifted her weight so he couldn't. _God Danny so owes me for this._

"I know, its just that the mafia stole a very rare artifact and we think it was Phantom. We have people all over the city looking for him. As soon as we catch him he's going to jail for a long time."

* * *

Sams grandma turned to Danny, "Can you climb?"

"Uh yes." He got a bad feeling about where this was going.

"Alright, down that hall is a closet, third door. Go out the window and climb down one floor. Right below you will be another window leading to my blowing alley. The window should be unlocked." She gave Danny a push just as Sam and her dad came in.

He hurried down the hall and into the closet. He briefly wondered why a window on the top floor of a high-rise would have a window with a lock. Then he had opened it and started through. The ledge outside was just wide enough for Danny to stand on though the wind was pretty bad.

It seemed to latch onto his clothes and pull him away from the building. He used his arm to hang onto the window frame, his other arm did its best but wasn't strong enough yet. He looked down and was glad he wasn't afraid of heights. One floor below him a large window.

Danny looked for a way to get to the window, there wasn't any easy way down. He crouched down on the ledge and slide one leg over, he kicked at the window below him. It didn't move.

He was starting to tip away from the building, his one good arm was already getting tired. He looked down and swallowed, maybe he was still a little afraid of heights.

There was only one way for him to get down, Danny took a deep breath and lowered himself down using his arm to hold on to the ledge. Unfortunately he was still two feet above the ledge below.

Danny swung inward slightly and let go, his feet touched the ledge and he teetered backward. He tried to regain his balance but it wasn't possible as he tilted farther backwards. Then he cursed himself silently for being so stupid.

He threw himself against the glass and ghosted through it. Landing on the floor with a muffled moan from hitting his injured arm. _I've got to hide, or maybe I can just lay here for a minute.

* * *

_

Sam her dad and her grandmother were sitting around the small table in Sams kitchen. She had convinced her dad to come tell them about the case, hopefully Danny would be able to hide wherever her grandma sent him.

"Well the mafia sent their thief Phantom to the museum and he stole the Eye of Sir Palden, we don't have a clue why though. Luckily one of the security guards managed to shoot Phantom before he got away. We don't know how he got away though, or why the ghost shield the museum went off either. I wanted to send every officer I have to check the area and the south bridge since he must have taken it but that hot shot detective insisted we send an officer to all the emergency rooms in the city incase Phantom showed up at one. A waist of time."

Sam glanced at her Grandmother, she was looking into a cup of tea Sam had gotten her. She tried to catch her eye to see if she could figure out where Danny was but she kept her eyes on the cup.

"So Samantha, how have you been? Did you finally decided to get ride of all this gloomy gothic life style?"

"No, I've told you before I like Goth. Why would I just decided to change who I am?"

"Its just a phase Samantha, you will grow out of it, maybe once you find a nice gentle man. Also you seem, well just happier then usual, maybe you found a young man?"

"No, I mean.." Sam was saved from having to try and finish a lie when her fathers cell phone rang. He took it out and listened for a minute, then put it back in his pocket and pulled out his gun.

"Whoa dad!"

"Shhh, Sam watch your grandmother. The station just got a call, someone across the street just reported seeing someone on the ledge outside your grandmothers floor, he got in somehow. I'm sure its Phantom."

Sams grandmother looked up, "Oh posh its probably just Sams boyfriend coming to see her." She cupped her hands and put them on the side of her head, "I wish I had a strapping young man to climb up to me." Sam want to scream at her grandmother for giving Danny away then she realized she was staling her father.

"Mother, now is not the time. Samantha you and grandmother follow me but be careful. Phantom is dangerous."

They followed her father, Sam was trying to think of something else to do or say to stale her father. They took the stairs down to her grandmothers floor, Sam couldn't figure out what to do besides hope that Danny was hidden well enough.

When they got to the bowling alley Sams father put his ear to the door, then motioned for them to back up and be quiet. Sam pretended to stifle a gasp hoping Danny would hear if he was in there.

Sams father pushed open the door silently Sam looked through the door behind him.

* * *

Danny wasn't completely unconscious, he just couldn't move much. There was a noise outside the door. He didn't know what it was but if it was someone he should hide. He shouldn't have stayed on the floor for so long.

The door opened, Danny had turned himself invisible a split second before the door opened. There was a sigh and the door closed again.

* * *

Sam nearly sighed with relief when she didn't see Danny. She wanted to go check on him but she didn't know where he was hiding and she had to wait for her father to finish checking the rest of their apartments.

It was nearly one in the morning before he was done, then he was back to the police station. Sam did feel bad about making him worry so much but it was better then him finding Danny.

When he finally left Sams grandmother gave her a strange smile and then went to bed. Sam ran to the bowling alley and opened the door. "Danny, are you in here?"

"Right here" Danny was sitting against one of the walls. He looked pale again.

"Are you alright? What happened?"

"Well your grandmother told me to hide in here, I got outside alright. By the way why does the window in your broom closet have a lock? Anyways I made it outside, almost fell off the building, and nearly got caught by your dad."

"Hold on, why did you go outside?"

"Your grandmother told me to!"

"You should have taken the stairs"

"There are stairs! I almost fell off the building and there were stairs? Ug, Sam your grandmother is trying to kill me."

"No trust me if she was trying to kill you you'd be dead."

"You sure? Because I really think she wanted me to fall."

"Yes. Couldn't you have just ghosted through the floor?"

"I wasn't thinking, I was to busy trying to hide." Danny stood up and tilted back against the wall. "I might have over done it a bit"

Sam took his arm, "Lets get you back to bed before you collapses again."

This time Danny took the stairs up to Sams floor, though he did have to hold on to Sams arm to keep from falling over. When they got to his room Danny let his knees buckle, unfortunately he forgot to let go of Sam first and she went tumbling down with him. "Ah, Danny!"

"What?" Danny already had his eyes closed and was half asleep.

"You can let me go now."

"I could, but I don't want to."

Sam pulled her arm out from under Danny head. She grabbed a pillow to hit Danny with but stopped since he was already asleep. A small smile played across her face, he looked so cute when he was asleep.

* * *

Sam took the large basket of laundry she had and went down to the first basement level. The building had a huge staff including people to wash the residents clothes but she preferred to do her laundry herself. She had started when she was nine after seeing her mother yell and on of the workers who washed some dress the wrong way, as a way make up for her mother.

She had just finished loading the machine when a metallic tube was pushed against her neck, "Where is Danny?"

(A/N: Well since everyone seemed to like that last cliff hanger I thought I'd give you another one hehe)


	8. Shopping

(A/N: Sorry everyone but I've been real sick this week so it took me forever to get around to correcting this. I'm working on the next chapter but it might take awhile.)

Disclaimer: I'm told I'm still not the owner of Danny Phantom.

Thief

Chapter 8: Shopping

"Where is Danny!" Sam felt the object pressed harder against her head.

Sam brought her heavy boot up behind her and it slammed into who ever was behind. From the grunt Sam guessed she'd hit between the guys legs. She turned around, on the ground was an African American boy in a yellow t-shirt and baggy pants. His red hat and fallen next to him. He looked up at Sam, "Ow"

Sam saw a laser pointer in his hand, that must have been what was against her head. She bent down, "Who the hell are you?"

It took the guy a minute to respond, and when he did his voice sound high and broke. "I'm, Tucker."

"What do you want with Danny?"

"None of your business."

Sam picked Tucker up by his shirt. "Oh really? Lets go then." She lead him up to her floor and sat him on the sofa.

"You can just stay there for now got it?"

"Fine, one question though. Can I have an ice pack?"

Sam went a pulled an ice pack from her refrigerator, she tossed it to Tucker who set it between his legs with a slight wince.

Sam sat at the table, she thought about going and waking Danny up but wasn't sure she should. Luckily she didn't have to, less then an hour later just as the sun was coming up Danny walked out. He looked terrible still, but a smile crossed his face when he saw Tucker

"Tucker! What are you doing here? What's with the ice pack?"

"Dude you just disappeared! I got worried when you didn't show up again. I got the ice pack because that Goth kicked me."

"I told you one of these days you'd flirt with the wrong girl"

"Flirt nothing! She a Psycho bit"

"Tuck! Watch what you call Sam."

"Sam? Wait you, oh man now I get it." Tucker grind stupidly.

"How did you even find me?" Danny hoped Sam wouldn't notice he had changed the subject again.

"Oh, uh, luck?"

"Tuck, you didn't slip on of those trackers into my clothes again, did you?"

"Ok I did. What are you doing here anyways?"

Before Danny could answer Sam stood up, "He's staying here so I can keep an eye on him."

Danny rolled his eyes, "Thanks Sam, that sounded a lot better then my answer of taking a rest."

Tucker was grinning at the two of them, "So are you guys a couple?"

"NO!" They shouted at the same time. Tucker smiled when they both blushed and turned away from each other.

"So Tucker did everything go alright?"

"Yea man everything went fine." Tucker picked up a remote that was laying next to the couch and pushed a button. A movie screen slid down in front of the window and a projector turned on. "Oh cool!"

Sam and Danny sat down while Tucker ran around like a kid in a toy stores playing with every peace of technology Sam had.

"Sorry about Tucker he's really into computers and gadgets."

"That's ok, so Tucker's your partner in crime?"

"Yea, I think he only helps though because he wants to impress the girls by being a bad boy."

"Does it work?" Sam asked

"Not in the least."

When Tucker finally calmed down he sat down on the sofa next to Sam. "Sorry about the laser pointer to the head thing."

"Its ok, just don't do it again."

"Aren't you going to apologize for kicking me in the crotch?"

"Nope, you deserved that."

Tucker frowned, but he couldn't stay mad with so many things to play with. Eventually he turned back to Sam, "As a thank you for taking such good care of Danny would you allow me to treat you to dinner tonight?"

Sam smiled, Tucker thought it looked kind of evil. "Of course, we'd love to come with you to dinner."

"What but hey!"

Danny smiled, "Thanks Tuck"

Tucker smacked his head, "Alright fine I'll treat both of you to dinner."

"So where will you be taking us?"

"That's a secret, but I'll tell you it's a nice little place on Vine Ave. I'll swing by about six you pick you two up, don't have to much fun while I'm gone."

As soon as Tucker left Sam grabbed Danny and pulled him to the elevator. "Whoa Sam, where are we going?"

"Shopping, Vine Ave. is a fancy place and I don't think you happen to have a tuxedo do you?"

"Well no but I don't have a lot of money either."

"So? That's what my moms credit card is for."

Danny paused, "Are you sure there's not a bit of a thief in you?"

Sam just smiled. When they reached the ground floor Sam hailed a taxi and they took it to the Amity Mall. Amity Mall was very large, with two main floors and a basement level it was packed with every shop you needed or wanted. Sam lead Danny up to the second floor and into a small shop.

There were racks of suits and tuxedos and other expensive peaces of clothing Danny couldn't name. There was a hall that lead to another part of the store where the women's clothes were. "Ok Danny see if you can find something you like and get it tailored to your size, I'll be back I just need to pick up something."

Sam walked down the hall and disappeared behind a pale blue dress. Danny looked around, most of the suits were either a sickly gray or brown color or had frilly shirts. He was looking at a plain black jacket when a tall woman popped up from behind it. "Hello young man, may I help you?"

Danny took a step back, she was very thin, to thin really. Her dress hung loosely on her and her face was smooth but you could tell she'd had a lot of work done to it. "Oh no I was just looking for a tuxedo."

"Mmhmm" She pressed her lips together. "May I ask what you need it for?"

"Dinner, tonight on Vine Ave."

"Young man, not only can you obviously not afford a tuxedo, or any other clothes we have here you would not even be able to afford the trash from Vine Ave. You clothes look like they came out of the gutter, which I assume they did. Most likely you were planning on attempting to steal something from us and then selling it for easy cash. Probably to buy cheap trashy jewelry for your trash of a girlfriend."

Danny had a pretty even temper but this lady was just asking for a scare later, it was a shame for her something far worse happened.

"Is there a problem here?" Sam asked walking back in from the women's department.

"Oh Miss Manson!" The thin woman rushed over to her and clasped her hands together bowing her head. "There is no problem Miss Manson, just speaking with this urchin. He will be gone in a moment I assure you."

"Oh really?"

Sam looked at Danny who shrugged, "I guess, I didn't find anything here."

Sam let out a loud sigh, she was good at acting like the rich even if she didn't like being one all the time. "I guess we should try somewhere else then, maybe Sears will have a better selection then here."

The look on the thin woman's face was priceless, completely horrified. Even Danny couldn't have gotten her so worked up if he'd started haunting her. "No! I mean we have yet to show this lovely young gentleman our finest. Surely he will find something to his liking there, if not we will make what ever he wishes on the spot!"

The thin woman snapped her finger and an older man with gray hair and a thin beard came forward and lead Danny in to a fitting room. Danny had to talk him out of some very fancy frilly shirts and over complicated jackets. Finally he had a good one though. A Plain black tuxedo, dress pants, a white shirt and a red vest. He hadn't wanted the vest but when the man told him the thin woman, who was the manager, never liked the red vest thinking it was to old fashion so he got. Besides the tuxedo worked with or without it.

Danny walked back out into the store wearing it to see what Sam thought. As soon as the thin Lay saw it she pressed her lips together again. "Are you sure you want such an ancient vest dear?"

"I think he looks quiet good in it" Sam said and instantly the thin woman was agreeing with her full heartedly. A few minutes later they left, Danny had his new Tuxedo carefully folded in a special bag. Sam had a bag to but refused to show or tell Danny what she got.

They took a taxi back to Sams place, on the way Danny tried to sneak a look in Sams bag but she wouldn't let him no matter how many times he asked. And he had a lot of time because the taxi got stuck in traffic and it took them over an hour to get back.

By the time they had arrived back at Sam's Tucker was waiting for them. Sam rushed to her room to change and said she'd be back out in a minute. Danny changed into his new tuxedo as well and waited with Tucker by the elevator. Tucker looked Danny up and down, "Looking good dude, trying to impress someone hmm?"

"What? No Sam just didn't want me to embarrass her."

"Yea right, I've known Sam less then a day and even I know that's a flat out lie."

"Listen Tucker even if I did like Sam I wouldn't stand a chance with her."

"How do you know? Besides I think she might like you back."

"Yea right. As much as I might want it I'm not clueless enough to think we'd have a chance together."

Tucker gave up and leaned against the wall, when Danny was like this a building falling on him couldn't change his mind. Tucker should know it had happened before.

Ten Minutes later Sam's door opened and she stepped out wearing a long black dress, It was simple but had a few purple fabrics woven into it making its color ripple. Dannys jaw was hanging open and it looked like he was trying to form words without luck.

"Wow, Sam, you look. Amazing! Is that what you got today?"

Sam smiled and turned a little to hide her blush, "No this is something I already had, you'll have to wait to see what else I got. Now come on lets go!"


	9. Dinner out

(A/N: Sorry its been awhile since I've posted, a lot of things are going right now and if things keep going like they are I won't be able to post for a week or two.But until that happens I'll do my best to keep chapters coming. Oh and please, if I spelled something wrong, just ignore it. and stop sending me PM's about it ok?)

Disclaimer: I do own Danny Phantom! Oh no wait I don't

Thief

Chapter Nine: Dinner out

Sam Danny and Tucker took the elevator down to the ground floor where Tucker had borrowed one of his families limos. The ride was a short one and nice enough though Tucker couldn't help showing off some of the gizmos in the limo. They pulled up in front of a low brick building covered in climbing ivy. The sidewalk was dotted large tress with light strung between them.

Danny was a little nervous about this kind of place, though Tucker and Sam seemed perfectly at ease. The inside was brightly lit, though most of the tables were empty Danny noticed. A waiter was standing near the door with a large book in one hand. As he turned to speak with them Danny noticed the books pages were blank, "Hello, do you have reservations?"

Tucker smiled, "Of course, they are under Foley."

"Very good, right this way please" He lead them to a table along the back wall, planted at the base of the wall were grape vines full of fresh grapes. All of them took their seats and the waiter handed each of them a thickly bound menu "May I get you something to drink?"

"Yes, We will have a bottle of Altesino 1997 Brunello Montalcino Montosoli wine." Tucker said with a smug smile on his face.

Danny glanced at Sam who had a confused look on her face, he waited till the waiter was gone before he looked back at Tucker. "Uh Tuck aren't we all underage?"

"Normally yes but two things. One we aren't going to be driving tonight or anything, and two no one cares in a place like this as long as you can pay."

"That doesn't mean we should."

"Then don't have any."

When the waiter returned with the bottle he set it down. He said he would be back shortly to take their orders then walked off to see to other guests.

Tucker set down the menu he had glanced at, "So what will you be having tonight?"

Danny lifted the over sized menu, it was large and heavy but the type inside was very small and written in a swirling text, the prices were written in even smaller text. He tried not to look at them, the prices were outrages and he'd never have spent anywhere near as much on a meal if it wasn't for Tucker paying for it.

Sam quickly checked the menu and the closed it, "I'll just have the pasta, no meat of any kind."

Sam was unnerved by Tucker slight smile, "So Danny you decided what you're having?"

"Uh, not really. I keep getting distracted by the price. I don't see why anyone would pay this much for some of this stuff."

Tucker waved his hand, "Its one of the weird things about most rich people, they feel the need to show off how rich they are by paying crazy prices for everything."

"Ok, I guess I'll have the same as Sam." Danny noticed Tucker smirk , that always meant he as planning something and with him it was impossible to tell what it was.

The waiter returned to take their orders, Tucker gave him their orders. "The young Lady and Gentle man will both have the pasta, no meat. I will have the Steak, large, well done."

Tucker smiled back at them as the waiter left. Sam frowned, "You know its not good to eat that much meat?"

"I don't see how someone could _not_ eat meat."

"Maybe some of us care about the environment and ourselves."

Danny stayed out of Tucker and Sams argument for the most part, it would only endanger his health if he did try and intervene. He rested his head in his hand with his elbow on the table. Sam and Tucker got into the finer points of eating meat and not eating meat. They kept this up until the waiter returned with their food.

He set their plates in front of them and then left them to eat in peace. Tucker took his knife and fork and cut a huge peace of meat off of his steak then put it into his mouth.

Sam made a gagging noise. Danny brought some of his pasta to his mouth but before he could take a bite a blue mist passed through his lips. _Ugg! Why of all times did this have to happen now?_ "Tucker, I'll be back in a minute."

Danny stood up and walked into the men's room, and ducked into a stall. He changed into his ghost form and invisibly flew out, he kept himself invisible as he scanned the restaurant. No ghosts there, he checked the kitchen and then the ally out back. After five minutes he had found no ghost anywhere and was starting to think that he was being tricked when something behind on of the trashcans moved.

Danny floated down and moved the trash can aside. A small green dog looked back at him. Danny bent down and picked the dog up, "You again?"

The dog wagged his tail. Danny sighed. "You better go get what ever you're looking for, and don't cause any trouble. I wish I could just put you back in the ghost zone but I can't get near the portal with my parents wanting to dissect me."

He set the dog back down, the puppy looked at him then ran down the ally. Danny flew back into the bathroom and changed back into his normal human form.

* * *

Tucker was still taking huge bites of his steak, Sam had given up on trying to get him to give up meat, for now. She'd moved on to trying to keep him from choking on his huge bites. It wasn't much use, he'd already almost choked twice. 

The waiter came back over to them while Danny was still in the restroom, "Excuse me Miss Manson? There is a phone call for you."

Sam stood up and followed the waiter to the far side of the restaurant where small booths held several phones. She picked up the phone. "Hello?"

She waited several seconds but there was no answer. Then there was a click and a dial tone. Sam set the phone back down, "Weird."

As Sam walked back to their table she saw Danny stepping out of the men's room. They got back to the table at the same time, Tucker smiled at them. "Finally you two were gone so long I thought you were making out in the kitchen or something."

"TUCKER!" Danny and Sam shouted.

"What? I was just kidding." He went back to eating his steak but he still had that unnerving smile of his. Danny picked up his fork to take a bite of his food when he noticed a peace of pasta from his plate had been tied to a peace on Sams plate.

"Tucker, why is our food tied together?"

"I was getting tired of waiting on you two. I was just trying to help."

Danny looked over at Sam expecting to find her ready to kill tucker with one of the many knife on hand, instead she was eating like nothing had happened. Sam felt Danny looking at her and looked up at him. "What?"

"Uh, aren't you going to try and kill Tucker?"

"No, if it had worked I'd kill him though." She reached over and took a sip from her glass which was filled with wine now.

"Sam!"

"What? Tuckers right, wow it felt weird saying that, anyways we aren't going to be driving or anything. Come on this is good."

Danny just shook his head, "Just don't get drunk, either of you."

"Danny, relax I'm not going to get drunk" Sam smiled. Danny tried to relax but something still felt off., though the dinner was very nice. When they were done Danny was full, the food had been good. As they were leaving Danny got the feeling someone was watching them, he shivered. Glancing around he didn't see anyone paying them any attention but he couldn't shake the feeling.

The limo was waiting for them outside and the all climbed in. It pulled onto the street and drove along it before turning onto the highway. Danny looked out the window, "Tuck? Why are we on the highway?"

"It's faster, that new opera let out about ten minutes ago so down town will be a parking lot for at least an hour. Besides were pretty close to my place so I figured I'd have the limo drop me off then take you guys home."

Danny got the feeling that Tucker just wanted to get him and Sam alone again, since when did he like playing match maker so much? A few minutes later the limo pulled into the long curved driveway of Tuckers house, of course it was more of a summer home for them, smaller then they normally had with only ten thousand square feet.

Tucker stepped out of the limo, "Have fun, I'll see you guys tomorrow."

The limo pulled out of the driveway and back onto the street. Danny looked over at Sam who had been oddly quiet, he face was slightly red and he eyes were half closed. "Hey Sam you ok?"

She smiled, "yea, I might have had a tinny bit to much wine though." She leaned over and rested her head against the glass. She shivered because the window was cold against her head.

When they got onto the highway the limo speed up, the lights from the city winked as the highway wound its way through the low hills just outside the city. Sam shifted and leaned her head against Danny, "You're very comfortable Danny. I'm just going to stay here awhile."

Danny reached an arm around Sam and pulled her closer to him so she would be more comfortable. Danny had to admit he liked this, it had been a long time since he'd felt happy like this. Just for tonight he thought, I'll forget about ghosts and everything else.

(A/N: There you go, if you could review so I don't get so side tracked I'd really appreciate it.)


	10. A good nights sleep and misunderstanding

(A/N: Ok I finally finished this, I don't know when I will be leaving to deal with a few things but probably soon so you might have to wait awhile between some of the up coming chapters, sorry. I hope you all like this.)

Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom, yet "Evil Laughter"

Thief

Chapter 10: A good nights sleep and misunderstandings

When the limo pulled up in front of Sams building. Danny gently shook her awake. "Come on Sam were back lets get you to bed ok?"

Sam mumbled something that was probably ok. Danny helped her out of the limo and led her to the front door. She was unsteady on her feet and leaned on Danny so she wouldn't fall over. He kept an arm around he waist to steady her, and because he enjoyed it.

There was a different man at the door this evening, he gave them an odd look as they passed him and went to the elevators. When they got back to Sams floor Danny helped her into her room. He wasn't sure if she should sleep in her dress but he also wasn't sure if she could manage to change it herself, she seemed to be drunker then when they had left the restaurant. "I'm going to go get some water for you and maybe an aspirin for when you wake up tomorrow, why don't you change into something to sleep in ok?"

Sam nodded. Danny went to the kitchen and filled a glass with water for her then went to his bathroom and grabbed an aspirin for Sam, she'd need it in the morning. When Danny got back to Sams room he walked in and saw Sam sitting on her bed in nothing but black lace panties and bra, they hugged her body and Danny had trouble looking away. She looked up at him, "Could you help me? These pants won't go on."

Danny shook his head, he helped Sam get her black pajama pants on, she had her right leg and left leg confused so he had to help her with them and then her shirt, which thankfully was just a sleeveless tank top that slipped right on.

Once Sam had her clothes on Dannys mind cleared a little, he picked up the glass of water, "Here drink this, it'll help you.:

Sam took the glass in both hands and drank it all down in a few big gulps. She then lay down and Danny picked up the covers to put over her. "Wait Danny, would you mind staying with me? Just till I fall asleep?"

"Ok" Danny covered Sam and then lay down on top of them next to her.

"Thank you Danny." Sam said, she was facing away from him so Danny couldn't see her face.

"For what?"

"For being so nice to me, most people would have just left me here but you stayed. And took care of me, And for being a good friend."

"Your welcome Sam, thanks for saving me."

"Your welcome, your not getting away from me that easily." Sam said then her shoulder relaxed and she was asleep. Danny decided to stay, just for a few more minutes. He leaned over and kissed the side of Sam forehead, he didn't know why but it felt right. Then he was asleep

* * *

Sams mouth felt like it was stuffed with cotton. She opened her eyes, then wished she hadn't. He blinds were pulled close but even the faint light felt like a blow to the head. She cracked her eye open again. There was a glass on her nightstand and an aspirin, She swallowed the aspirin and drank what little water was in the glass, it was enough to get the cotton feeling out of her mouth. Then she fell back to sleep.

.When Sam woke up again she felt like crap, defiantly an improvement over earlier. She blinked a few times to get her eyes fully open, her shirt was bunched up exposing her stomach and the left side of her pants were pulled down some. She woke up like that a lot because she was a restless sleeper, but what made her eyes snap open was a sleeping Danny next to her.

_What's Danny doing here? Whys he in my bed, wait did we? Ok calm down. We went to the restaurant, I had some wine, felt out in the limo and leaned me head on the window. Then what? I lay on Dannys shoulder next, then. Then he brought me back up here I think. I don't remember doing anything, and Danny wouldn't do anything? No besides he's still in his tux that dork._

Sam sat up and the rest of the night came back to her, Danny getting her the water, her asking him to stay, him helping her change. Sams face went red, ok so he had seen her in her underwear but that was it. _Maybe he won't remember that part_

Sam got up and took a long warm shower. It helped her head a lot and just felt good as well. She toweled off an put on lose pants and a baggy shirt, then went to make coffee. Sam didn't really like coffee but it was supposed to help with hang over.

* * *

By the time Danny got up Sam was on her second cup of coffee, which wasn't helping any. Danny had changed into a white t-shirt and blue jeans, "Hi Sam, how do you feel?"

"You mean after getting drunk last night? Surprisingly not as bad as I did when I woke up. Thanks for the aspirin by the way."

"Oh your welcome, do you remember what happened last night?"

"Yea, thanks for taking care of me, and everything." Sam blushed and concentrated on her coffee. _Why do I keep blushing like this! I'm not one of those prep girls who falls for every cute guy. Given most of those guys would have dumped me here and left. Ugg!_

Danny didn't know where to look, Sam remembered everything. He couldn't remember ever being so embarrassed. Neither of them could think of anything to say, though it wasn't as bad as past silences have been.

They were both startled when Sams phone rang, "Hello?"

"Hello Sammy."

Sam glanced at Danny, "Oh Hi dad."

"Listen Samantha, I'm sorry but I have to go to Madison. There was a robbery there that looks like the work of Phantom. No clues, no break in or trace of anything. I don't know how long I'll be there, hopefully only three days at most but no promises."

"Ok, be careful."

"I will" Sams father hung up and Sam set the phone back down.

"Danny? have you been doing anymore stealing?"

"What! No! when could I have? I promise you I haven't"

"Ok just checking." Sam looked out the window, she had a weird feeling. Then the phone rang again. She picked it up, "Hello?"

"Oh and Sam I forgot to tell you, your mother is on her way home, she should be there soon."

Sams face went pale, her mother was coming back, now. Sam heard the elevator door then her mothers sunshine voice. "Sammy I'm back!"

"Danny invisible now!"

"What but"

"Now!" Danny didn't argue and disappeared from sight just as a woman with red hair put up in a fifties style hairdo, She wore a light blue flowery dress and held pink shopping bags in both her hands

"Sammy!" She threw her arms around Sam. "I came as soon as I heard the good news! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" Sam was struggling to breath, her mother let her go and looked Sam square in the eye. "About your boyfriend!"

"What!?" Sam heard another noise that she thought was Danny suppressing a similar reaction. "Uh mom what are you talking about?"

"Why your little date last night. My friend at In Magazine sent me the story before it went to press. Why didn't you tell me you and Mr. Foley were a couple?"

"Whoa! Wait what? Me and Tucker? No!"

"Oh come on little Sammy, don't play coy with your mother."

"No you have it wrong mom, I was with there with Tucker and my friend Danny, not a date or anything, just a dinner."

"Hmm, well I don't remember there being a Danny in any of the upper class families. I'm sure I've kept up with everything even being gone for so long. Also there is only you and, 'Tucker' in all the picture In has."

"What pictures?"

"These." She handed Sam a copy of In, on the cover was a picture of Sam leaning over Tucker, it looked like she was leaning in for a kiss.

"No I was trying to keep him from choking!"

"Come now Sammy, don't be embarrassed! Now lets go make sure you have something wonderful to wear for tonight!"

"Tonight?"

"Of course dear, tonight it the Kristen Charity Dinner. I know the Foleys will be there which means Tucker will be as well." She grabbed Sams hand before she could protest and dragged her into her bedroom.

Danny who had stood out of the way while Mrs. Manson had gushed over Sam went to the table and picked up the In. There were several pictures of Tucker and Sam together from the night before but he wasn't in any of them. He scanned the article as he looked at the pictures.

_Samantha(Sam) Manson was seen last night at a romantic restaurant with wealthy man Mr. Foley. The daughter of the chief of police and Miss Manson a noted socialite. She has been out of the public eye for over a year since she was arrested for her involvement in the Axion Lab protests. It would appear that the Samantha has finally given up her troubled way and may even be getting ready to settle down with young Mr. Foley. Mrs. Manson is said to be returning to Amity, possibly to help arrange thing between the Manson and Foley families. _

The rest of the article was pretty much the same. _What is with this? Was it written by a fourteen year old? Oh it was_. Danny set the magazine back down and looked around, he wasn't sure what he should do. Though he was tempted to go spy on Sam and her mom. That was until some horrible pink creature flew down the hall and landed on the floor.

"Mom! I am not wearing that stupid dress for the last time!" Sam yelled!

Mrs. Manson walked out and picked up the dress, "Really now Sammy. I thought you wear over that whole depressed stage, you have a lovely young man now. You really must start behaving."

"I told you I'm not dating Tucker! He's a friend of Dannys and offered to take us to dinner that's all!"

"Samantha, do not raise your voice to me. Now I know there is no man by the name of Danny in any of the upper social circle."

"Who said he had to be in your _Upper circle_."

"Samantha, I refuse to let you socialize with a street boy! Now you will come with me tonight, you will socialize with people of our own class and you meet with Mr. Foley and be polite. Do you understand?"

She didn't give Sam a chance to respond before she had left and taken the elevator down to her floor. Sam made a growling noise then sat down on the couch. Danny turned visible and sat down next to Sam. "You weren't kidding about your mom."

"I can't believe she think I'd date Tucker! Or wear that dress! Now she's dragging me to that stupid party!"

"Come on Sam it can't be that bad, though considering that dress I might be wrong."

Sam stared at Danny, he felt uncomfortable. "Sam? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because I might not have to deal with the whole party, or at least not be stuck there with a bunch of stuffy snobs."

"What do you mean?"

"You have ghost powers, you can sneak me out, or at least come too so I won't die of boredom."

"I don't know, isn't that kind of abusing my powers?"

"Since when have you worried about that?"

"Ok so I'm just kind of scared of your mom. No offence" he quickly added.

"I can't really blame you there, but please come?"

Danny looked at Sam, she was using her puppy dog eyes on him. "Fine I'll come"

(A/N: Let me know if you like this thanks!)


	11. The Ball

(A/N: Alright, I know its been way to long since I updated, sorry the project took a lot longer then I thought. I had most of this typed a month ago but just finished. Oh yes, and be glad that I did, I have to give a speech on Tuesday, and I really should have it written two weeks ago. This wensday my girlfriend is coming out for prom next staurday, so while she is out here I probably won't be typing. Sorry)

Disclaimer: I do no own Danny Phantom…yet

Thief

Chapter 11: The Ball

Danny walked down the street towards the higher class part of down town, he had a backpack over his shoulder with his Tuxedo in it. He had left Sams floor half an hour ago just before it started getting dark so he could reach the building where the Kristen charity party was being held. He planned to find a back door and sneak in if he could, the less he had to use his ghost powers the better.

Danny looked at the building ahead of him, it dominated a city block with lush grounds and a huge marble columned building in the center. There were people standing at the driveway entrance checking the invitations of all the guests. No good trying to get past them. He walked along the iron bar fence halfway around the block till he came to an area where there were a lot of bushes on the inside.

He checked the street, no one was watching him, he jumped up onto the fence and quickly climbed over. Danny crouched in the bushes, there were lights strung closer to the building so the guests could come out and dance. He made his way along a think row of bushes till he came within sprinting distance of the building. Once again he checked to make sure no one was watching them made a dash for a side exit.

Luckily it had been left open a crack for some reason and he made it in with out being spotted. Inside Danny walked along the hall looking for a place to change into his Tuxedo. He had just found a restroom when a large meaty hand caught his shoulder. "Hold it right there kid"

* * *

Sam rode with her mother in the back of a limo, she had talked her mother out of making her wear the pick dress and settled for a simple backless black silk dress the came down to half past her knees. She had been forced to wear a pair of lace up high heels, thankfully they were only and inch high not the three inch ones her mother had chosen.

"Really Samantha, I don't see why you keep denying you like Mr. Foley."

"I give up, you don't listen anyways."

"That's not true honey, I just want what's best for you, and for you to give up your morbid obsessions."

Sam looked out the window, they were approaching the charity event and she could see they had put huge spot lights out front to draw attention, several news vans were parked out front. _Ug they always over do these things_.

Their invitations were checked and they were waved through, as soon as they were out of the limo Sams mother walked over to a group of women. They started talking and Sam drifted over to a table near the wall. She glanced around looking for Danny, after ten minutes she still hadn't seen him.

* * *

Danny spun around, there was a large man in a security suit. "Lets see your invitation"

His tone made it clear he knew Danny didn't have one and just like messing with him, Danny hated people like that. "Sorry I must have dropped it."

"Sure you did kid. Why don't we just go by the security room and see if we can't find it for you?"

"Or you could just let me go"

"Nice try kid but no dice, you got to be taken to the police."

"Excuse me but is there a problem here?" Danny looked past the man and saw Tucker.

"None of your business kid, go back to the party."

Tucker walked over to the man. "Perhaps my good friend Abraham Lincoln will change your mind?"

"Are you trying to bribe me with five bucks?

"Yes I was. Fine have it your way" Tucker handed the man a plastic card. He looked at it then handed it back to Tucker and let go of Danny.

"Thanks Tuck, what did you show him?"

"A security pass, I borrowed it from the doorman. Then doctored it a bit. So what are you doing here?"

"Sams mom forced her to come and she got me to come too so she wouldn't be so bored."

Tucker smiled, "Hoping for a little make out session behind the rose bushes?"

"No, I'm hoping I won't have to hurt you."

"Why would you have to hurt me?"

"Sams mom thinks you and her are dating"

"What! Why would she think that?"

"Because of some photos someone took of you and her at the restaurant with out me in them. Now her mom thinks you and her are secretly dating."

"Whoa ok Danny, you have to believe me, I had nothing to do with that!"

"I know, even you're no that stupid."

* * *

Sam sat at a table near the front of a large room full of rich people, the younger ones were mostly dancing in the center of the room to a stuffy song. Sam looked around the room, everyone who was _Upper class_ seemed to be there. Sam's mother was talking with a group of women one table over, it was like she had never been gone a year. And of course Sam was bored out of her mind.

All the women at the table with Sam's mother started laughing, a high fake sound. Sam looked around for Danny, he still wasn't anywhere to be seen, of course when he could just go invisible that doesn't mean much.

* * *

Danny looked at himself in a huge mirror in the restroom, he looked like he could pass alright. He walked out in to the hall, his normal clothes safely stashed in the ceiling. Tucker wasn't anywhere to be seen so Danny walked out into the main ballroom. He glanced around looking for Sam, finally spotting her on the other side of the room. Quickly he made his way over to her, "Hi, sorry I'm late."

"That's alright, glad you finally got here I was abut to go crazy." Sam smiled at him. "Have you seen Tucker?"

"Yea a few minutes ago but I don't know where he got to." Danny reached for a chair next to Sam when a singsong voice behind he shouted "Oh Sammy!"

Sams mother briskly walked over to them, "I just spoke with your friend Tucker, he says you two really aren't dating. I suppose it's for the best. Now since you're still available I want to introduce you to Mrs. Johnson's son." She stopped when she caught sight of Danny, "Bring a plate of the chicken to our table and some more red wine." She turned and left before Danny could say anything, which was just as well for him since he had frozen.

"Ug I can't believe her, as soon as she decides I'm single she try's to set me up with another one of her rich friends sons!"

"Come on." Danny said taking Sam's hand.

"Where are we going?" She asked as Danny led her into another hall.

"You don't want to spend the night letting your mom play match maker do you?"

"No, so where are you taking me?"

"Just hang on." Danny said, as soon as they were in an empty hall he turned them both intangible and ghosted them through the outer wall. Sam made a slight noise when he did but he couldn't tell if it was from the tingle of going through the wall or going through the wall itself. They came out on a small bricked walked way next to a larger bricked circle with a fountain in the middle and thick bushes around it. They could still hear the music from inside but it was softened and sounded a lot better.

Danny glanced at Sam, the dime light seemed to make her face shine. For as many times in the last week or so Danny found himself doing something it couldn't explain but liked. He still had Sams hand and pulled her towards the fountain, then stopped turned to her and bowed. "May I have this dance?"

Sam smiled and his heart skipped a beat, "Of course."

Danny wasn't really sure how to dance, but Sam didn't seem to care. She set his hand on her hip, both thanking their lucky stars it was to dark out for the other to see them blush. They slowly started making their way around the fountain, slowly drawing closer to each other, until Sam was resting her head on Dannys shoulder. Sometime during their slow dancing the music stopped but neither noticed. They would have both been perfectly happy to stay like that all night but sadly their luck wasn't that good.

"Samantha! Where are you!"

"Hide!" Sam said shoving Danny into the bushes. Sams mother appeared a second later.

"There you are! What in the world are you doing out here? Come back inside there are some lovely young boys I want you to meet." She took Sams hand and lead her back inside. At the table she had been sitting at three boys around her age were waiting for her. The first was in an overly expensive suit holding a drink and looking completely bored, he glanced at Sam, then decided he didn't care and looked away. The second had short black hair, a far less flashy suit, and gave Sam a warm smile. He was the oldest of the three at eighteen. The last looked a lit like the second, same type of suit but his hair was longer, he gave Sam a polite smile but it was obverse he wasn't interested in her.

"Sam, this is Phillip, Mathew, and Christopher." She said pointing at the three boys in turn. "I'll leave all of you alone."

Sam sat down, glancing around hoping to see Danny somewhere. No such luck. Phillip looked Sam over once more, "See ya later" he said getting up and leaving.

Mathew shook his head. "Sorry about him, he has no manners." Sam didn't answer, Christopher had caught her eye. He was looking over at a group of girls, he was younger then Sam had thought. Thirteen or fourteen at the oldest. When he saw Sam had seen him he blushed and mumbled an apologize before hurriedly getting up and leaving.

Mathew smiled "He has a crush on another girl. Poor guy was practically dragged over her by your mom."

"Sorry about her she can be very pushy."

"Don't worry my mother can be the same way"

Sam looked around for a way to get away, Mathew seemed nice but she'd rather have been with Danny. "Mathew"

"Matt if you don't mind"

"Ok Matt would you mind getting me a drink?"

"Sure" He stood up and walked over to one of the waiters. As soon as he was gone Danny appeared beside Sam, surprisingly it didn't surprise her.

Dannys Tuxedo was dirty and he had a branch stuck in his hair. "Sam next time your going to push me into the bushes give me some warning ok?"

"Ok sorry about that, lets get out of here before Matt comes back ok?"

Beofre Danny could answer the main doors burst open and a large man in an orange jumpsuit and a woman in a blue one, Dannys face paled. "Shit"

(A/N: Ok I'll do what I can to get the next chapter out there soon, come June I'll be free to type a lot so I'll probably finish up this story over the summer. Thank all of you)


	12. Just an Authors note

(A/N: I really don't like doing this, posting an update with out adding a chapter for everyone to read but I figured I better tell you why this chapter is a little late. On May 25th, my girlfriends sister, who was a very close friend of mine, passed away from CF. I'm currently in New Mexico with my girlfriend, I'll be heading home sometime this week and I'll be able to finish the chapter then, hopefully by Wednesday. I already have about half of it written, oh and sorry if its not my best work. Well I guess that's about it, sorry for the delay.)


	13. Meeting his parents

(A/N: Sorry, I meant to have this up back around the 13th, but I caught a summer cold, and ug I could barely move for a few days, and also I've been watching our new puppy who thinks I'm a chew toy. Anyways I hope you like this chapter, I think the last part of it turned out very well at least.)

Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom

Thief

Chapter 12: Meeting his parents

Sam looked at Danny and then back at the two people who had just burst in. "Danny, are you ok?"

"Come on we need to leave" Danny grabbed her hand and started to pull her along, but Sam stopped when the woman in blue held a megaphone up and started talking.

"Attention party goers! Do not be alarmed but there have been elevated levels of ecto activity in this building, these levels indicate the appearance of a restless spirit, AKA a ghost"

The large man pulled a hose out from behind his back, "Your mine spook!" He twisted it and a glowing green liquid shot out, splattering the closest people. Then the hose whipped out of his hands and started spraying the room. People went running towards the doors while the woman tried to grab the hose.

Danny grabbed Sams hand and pulled her through the nearest wall in the confusion. He didn't let go until they were back at the fountain. Sam looked over at him, "Danny what's going on? Who were those people?"

"My parents. I used my powers to much, They must have tracked the, readings or what ever back to here. We need to get out of here."

"Wow, your parents really are obsessed when it comes to ghosts"

"Yea, now you see why I had to leave?"

"Yea, Ok we can go back to my place, you'll be safe there." Before Danny could answer there was a crashing sound from the doors and more screams.

"Your parents move fast, go back I'll stall them." Danny opened his mouth to object but Sam cut him off. "No go" Then she pushed him back through the hedge again.

"Freeze ghost!" The large man said rolling out of the bushes on the other side of the fountain. He held up a large can and started spraying what looked like silly string on Sam. Before she could even move she was covered in it.

"Jack wait she's not a ghost!" The woman said running up to the man.

"Are you sure?" Jack stopped spraying the silly string.

The woman took out a small box and pointed it at Sam, it beeped a few times "Yes, though she has had an abnormally high contact with a ghost recently."

"Oh, alright, sorry about that." Jack said apologetically, Sam could see where Danny got some of his odd cuteness.

"Uh its ok" Sam said picking the worst of the string out of her hair.

Jack took out another box and looked at it for a minute, "Darn the signatures gone, we missed it Madie"

"Its alright Jack, well get it next time, now I think I saw a ham inside."

"Ham!" Jack went running back inside, "Oh I hope they have fudge too"

Right after Dannys parents left Sams cell started to vibrate, She glanced down at the caller id, it was her mom. "Hello mom"

"Sammy! Oh thank goodness are you alright? Where are you?"

"I'm fine, I'm outside."

"Oh good, well I'm going to go to a small after party, you can get home by yourself ."

"Alright-" The phone clicked signaling her mom had hung up. "Thanks mom"

Sam walked out to the street and called for a taxi. "Hey Sam"

Sam jumped a little as she spun around, Danny was standing behind her with that small smile of his. "Danny! what are you still doing here? Your parents could be here any second!"

"Don't worry, they're both inside. What's that green stuff?"

"Your dad shot silly string at me."

"Oh sorry. Come on I'll make it up to you." He grabbed her hand and pulled her back behind the large hedge. Once they were out of sight he changed into his ghost mode.

"What are you doing? Your parents can find you with those tracker things"

Danny just held up his gloved hand and showed Sam two small flat batteries, "I borrowed these from them, so you don't need to worry. Now hold on"

Sam moved closer to Danny as they started to float off the ground, she was nearly clinging to him by the time they had cleared the closest roofs. Danny chuckled light, "Its ok I've never dropped anyone before"

"And how many people have you flown before?"

"Well Tucker, once. And just a few feet off the ground but I didn't drop him, he jumped"

"Oh that's comforting." Sam did start to become more comfortable though and loosened her grip on Danny a little. About half way back to Sams apartment the wind started to pick up, it wasn't bad at first but then it got considerably worse. Sam immediately tightened her hold on Danny, unfortunately that threw him off balance and they dropped several feet before he got control again, they'd rolled over though and Sam was no laying on top of Danny.

As soon as Sams mind realized she was safe she started to blush at the position they were in. She mumbled a sorry as Danny righted them again. When they got back to her building Danny ghosted them through a window and set her down in the in the living room.

"Thanks Danny, tonight was a lot of fun" She picked a green string from her hair, "Well mostly. Ug I'm going to take a shower and get the rest of this stuff off." She wasn't thinking of doing it, she just did, as she walked away her lips brushed Dannys cheek.

Danny was in near total shock, a girl had kissed him, on the cheek sure but still, "Sam, you, uh you."

"Yea?"

"Uh you forgot to warn me when you pushed me back in the bushes."

(A/N: I'll do my best to get the enxt chapter up soon but no promises sorry)


	14. Over the edge

(A/N: Yes the rumors of my death were true! But I have returned as a ghost to keep writing. Ok so maybe that's a lie. I just had writers bock, I had half this chapter written for six months but it took me that long to force the rest out. I hope I have solved that problem now. Please no complaints about spelling or grammar. Thank you.)

Disclaimer: Good News! I do own Danny Phantom! I have him locked in a closet. Bad news is I still don't own the show.

Thief

Chapter 13: Over the edge

Sam rubbed soap in her hair for the second time that evening, the green stringy stuff was sticking to her hair worse than when it had first been sprayed on. Finally when she thought she'd gotten the worst of it off she cleaned the rest of herself, especially right below her neck which had gotten a lot of it that she hadn't bothered to brush off earlier. Something she now regretted.

Sam finished cleaning herself and just let the warm water wash over her for a few minutes. Then she stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around herself. She reached for her clothes, then realized she'd been in such a hurry to get the string out of her hair shed gone to the nearest bathroom, not bothering to grab some clothes. Which wouldn't have been a problem if that particular bathroom had been the one in her room.

Sam thought for a minute but she knew she'd have to go back to her room, hopefully Danny was in his room and not the living room. She checked the mirror to make sure her towel covered everything, she pulled it down a little more to make sure nothing would be exposed. Given the top of her breast were visible but the towel was to small to do any better. _Oh well __its__ not really any worse __than__ a swimsuit_

Sam opened the door and stepped out, the air in her apartment was colder then the warm air of the shower and she shivered a little as she walked down the hall. She glanced in the living room hoping Danny wasn't there, no such luck. She was going to try and sneak by when she had an evil idea, and much like the quick kiss earlier it just seemed to happen. She walked out into the room and towards her room, then turned and said, "Hey Danny:"

Danny turn, "Hey Sa" His face froze and his mouth dropped, then he turned around again and Sam hurried to her room. She closed her door and leaned against it, her heart was beating fast for some reason and her body felt oddly warm. She quickly dressed and walked back out, she sat next to Danny and neither mentioned either the kiss or towel incident.

* * *

Sam was woken to too bright sunlight streaming in through her window, at first she thought her mom had come in and opened them, then she remembered she'd opened them before she went to bed so she could watch the city lights.

She was already awake so she shrugged off the covers and got up. She padded softly around her room, trying not to disturber the morning quiet, she couldn't even hear the traffic from below. She got dressed and walked into the kitchen, checking the cabinets she decided to make herself some morning tea.

It was much later in the morning when Danny walked out, his slightly damp hair stated he'd just gotten out of the shower. They spent a lazy morning hanging around, something neither had done in quiet a long time, then Sams mother came bursting in and Danny had to disappear in an instant, which wasn't really that hard for him.

"Sammy dear! I have wonderful news! Were taking a vacation!"

"We are?" Sam said doubtfully.

"Yes, last night while I was talking to the other ladies I realized it had been ages since we went anywhere together. So I decided we should go on a vacation. To the Amity Alps Spa and ski lodge. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time. We leave tomorrow at ten, I'll be out shopping for the trip this afternoon, I suggest you do the same. Its already snowing there." And with that she turned around and walked out.

Sam waited a minute for Danny to reappear, which he did sitting on the couch. Sam smiled, "So Danny want to go on vacation?"

"Sorry, resorts are a lot harder to hide at, most of the rooms are full and they're always being cleaned, even I'd have a hard time staying hidden."

Sam frowned, that was true, then another idea occured to her. Danny saw her face change, "Sam?"

"I have another idea, hold on a sec." She reached for her phone and quickly dialed a number then waited a minute for the person on the other end to answer. "Hi, its Sam so you up for a little vacation Tucker?"

Danny sat on the couch with his arms crossed, it had only taken a few minutes for Sam to convince Tucker to ask his parents if he could take a vacation for awhile, they'd said yes. So it was settled, Tucker would go to the resort too and Danny would stay with him. It wasn't so much the fact he was going that had made him grouchy, it was that he'd had no say in it.

Of course the next item of business was for Sam to once again take Danny shopping for warmer clothes. She loaded Danny into a taxi and they went back to the mall. They went to a store called, Winter. Luckily all Danny really needed was a coat, which took some time because most of the coats had fur lining. Which Sam wouldn't even consider. Finally, after forty minutes, and two pissed off clerks later they left, Danny with a thick red coat.

The next morning, before the sun was fully up Sam and Danny were walking down to the ground floor. Tucker was coming by early to pick Danny up, Sam would come later with her own mom. Right before they went out into the cold morning Sams phone went off, she answered and motioned for Danny to go on without her.

Tucker was waiting outside leaning against a limo covering a yawn. "Hey Danny, man I forgot how much I hate getting up early."

"Stop complaining Tuck, you didn't have to agree to come you know"

Tucker didn't say anything, he looked at the sky, then down the block, then finally back at Danny, "By the way, My parents decided that I need supervision."

"You're kidding right?"

The driver's door of the limo opened and a girl stepped out, she had on an old gray style showfers uniform, it hugged her figure well. She didn't look any older then Sam. "No he isn't. I'll be coming with you, got a problem?"

Danny was to shocked to say anything but Sam saved him by walking out right then and stopping, staring at the girl opened mouthed, and say "Valerie?"

The girl stood still, the color draining from her face. "Sam?"

Neither moved for a minute, then Valerie grabbed Sam by the arm and dragged her back inside yelling back at Danny and Tucker, "Excuse us for one minute"

Sam stared in shock at Valerie as she pulled her inside, Sam quickly recovered though. "Valerie? What's going on?"

"Listen Sam please don't tell Tuckers parents, they think I'm 20."

"Wait what? Ok what's going on here?"

"My dad lost his job at the labs ok? We needed the money." Valerie didn't look at Sam as she said the last part.

"Oh ladies" Tucker popped his head back in, "We need to be going."

"Be right there Tucker" Sam turned back to Valerie, "Ok I won't tell Tucker or his parents, but you owe me"

"Thanks" Valerie walked back out and opened the limos back door for Tucker and Danny. Then got in the drivers seat and the limo pulled away. Sam watched them go then went back to her apartment and made sure she had everything packed.

The inside of Tuckers limo was, as Danny put it, "Sweet!" there was a flat screen TV where there would normally be a window to talk with the drive through. It had an X-box 360 and PS3 connected to it. There was also a small shelf with the latest movies on DVD and some older movies.

"Yea, guess I forgot to mention that my parents let me add a few things to this limo."

"A few things? Tuck you could live in here for days!"

"Well maybe but I don't think the limos battery would last that long. Hmm I should have put in a back up battery!" Tucker took out his PDA and started scribbling down ideas for the limo, Danny looked out the window and watched the city streets pass buy. _Hard to believe I was living on the streets not long ago.

* * *

_

Sam was sitting in another limo with her mother, of course her mother was just talking about the latest fashions and such. The ride took forever, the city streets giving way to smaller side streets with apartments for lower income people, then smaller businesses and finally houses before turning into fields and finally the snowy lands on the mountains.

The limo pulled up in front on a large wooden building. Sams mother practically danced out of the limo and into the building, Sam reluctantly followed. The inside was huge. Sam walked in and got her key from her mother, hoping to be spared the gaze of her mothers friends who she had _accidently_ run into. As she hurried to the elevator she looked to her right, the floor ended a few feet in a balcony that over looked a lower floor with a huge central fire pit.

Couples sat around it resting their heads on each other, Sams mind briefly wondered to an image of her and Danny down there with the other couples. Her day dream was interrupted by the elevators doors opening with a ding. She hurried inside and pushed the button for the top floor.

The top floor only held a few rooms but no expense had been spared. The carpet was a deep red and the walls were highly polished wood. Sam walked to her door and slid the key in, there was a light click and she pushed it open. One wall of her room was a giant window overlooking the mountains. The other walls were made of wood, Sam was sick of all the wood, they could have used something else. The carpet was a light white color along with a large four poster bed. The whole room was filled with the best items money could buy.

Once Sam had her things put away she decided to go find Danny, just as she turned around she felt a cold breeze pass across the room. She reached over to close the window but it was already closed. "Oh very funny Danny"

Danny appeared in front of her, floating just off the floor. "You're getting good at that"

"I wonder if that's a good thing or a bad thing." She grabbed his hand and started dragging him towards the door. "Come on as long as we're here we might as well go skiing."

"Uh Sam I don't have any skies." Danny said as Sam locked the door and walked down the hall. She didn't bother answering him instead leading him back down a set of stairs to a small rental store. She rented him a pair of skies and everything else he needed, then said she'd meet him at the ski lift in twenty minutes.

Twenty minutes later Sam walked up behind Danny, She had put on a thick black coat and was carrying a set of dark skis. They waited in line as the lift took people up the side of the mountain, finally it was their turn. Danny almost didn't make it on, nearly falling off when he tried to sit down.

As the lift carried their seat higher and higher Sam couldn't help but think she preferred the view from when she was flying with Danny more.

"Really?" Danny asked. Sam looked at him. "Really what?"

"You said you preferred the view when you were flying with me."

_What?! I said that out loud? _Sam tried to cover. "Yea, the view was better, guess because we were higher up."

Danny nodded. Sam had her faced turned away into the wind to hide her blush. _Wait, why am I blushing and hiding my face? Ok that was a little __embarrassing__ but not that bad. I just hope I'm not going crazy and start having conversations with __myself__. Wait does this count as a conversation with __myself__? I guess only if I responded, which I just did._ Sam was so preoccupied with her conversation with herself that she almost didn't get off the lift in time.

Danny was looking out over the mountains, they really were beautiful, almost as beautiful as Sam. He risked a glance over at her, the wind was whipping her hair around her face. She looked like an angle to him, epically with the clouds behind her reflecting the light. To soon though the lift ride was over, Danny managed to slide off the seat alright but Sam didn't move, her face said she was still deep in thought. Danny grabbed her by the arm and pulled her off before the lift turned around and headed back towards the bottom of the mountain. They both landed sitting in the snow.

"And I thought I was supposed to be the space case" Danny said helping Sam up.

"Sorry, guess I wasn't paying attention." Sam smiled embarrassed. They walked over to a small sitting area so Sam could help Danny get his skis on. Danny was trying to figure out which clasp went where without luck. Sam reached over and did her best to do them for him, their fumbling arms resulting in them being very close. Danny glanced at Sam, _She smells like __lily's_

When Danny finally had both his skis on they made their way over to one of the slopes. It wasn't a beginners run but Danny figured he could do it alright. Sam had explained the basics, as long as he didn't cross his skis he'd be fine.

Sam went down first followed by Danny, he had been wrong. It was a lot harder then he thought it would be. He managed to stay upright but couldn't really control where he was going and started zig zaging across the slope. Luckily there weren't a lot of people on it so he didn't crash into anyone. Unfortunately his path took him through a small crowd of trees, without thinking he ghosted through them.

The slope ended about halfway down the mountain on a flat shelf of rocks. Sam was already there when Danny arrived. She couldn't help but laugh at the way Danny had come down, and at the twigs he had stuck in his hair. She reached up and brushed them out, letting her hand linger there for a moment. Danny didn't say anything. Instead he reached out and brushed a few flakes of snow from Sams hair, moving his hand down the cup her cheek.

The tender moment was interrupted by a scream from the slope, and girl was coming down the slope out of control, having lost her ski poles farther up. As she came to the flat area her skis slipped out from under her but she kept going, sliding along the snow. There was a railing to make sure no one skied of the side of the rest area and down the steep cliff beyond, but the girl went sliding under them. Danny ran towards the girl but Sam was faster, just as the girls feet went over the edge Sam grabbed her arms.

Her weight was enough to slow them down but not stop them, Sams arms followed the girl over the edge with the rest of her following.

Danny saw Sam grab the girl and start to go over with her. He made up his mind in a instant, he had one second to get to Sam. If he couldn't he'd go ghost to save them, in front of everyone who was watching.

(A/N: Remember to review, it is food for my writers soul, otherwise I'll have to go back to eating kittens. And their claws hurt)


	15. The snow storm

(A/N: Well I have good news, I have the next chapter already written. So I can post when I want to, so review to put me in a good mood. Sorry for the mistakes I made about skiing in the last chapter, I've never been skiing so most of it was a guess.)

Disclaimer: Nope don't own

Thief

Chapter 14: The snow storm

Danny dove for Sam and managed to grab her boot. Luckily she wasn't wearing her normal boots which probably would have fallen off but her ski boots which were tight enough to stop Sam and the girls fall. Danny held onto Sams feet as she and the other girl dangled off the cliff. He knew he wouldn't be able to hold on long and was considering turning Sam and the girl intangible so he might be able to pull them up when one of the other people who had been watching ran over to help, soon others were helping as well and they were able to pull them back up.

The ski patrol arrived shortly afterwards and checked them all out. Once they had decided they were all fine they left the three teens alone. The girl who had long brown hair and light brown eyes smiled at Sam and Danny. "Thanks you guy, guess I should have started on a beginner slope first. By the way I'm Missy Vollo."

Sam and Danny were a little shocked that the girl could be so casual after nearly falling off a cliff but Sam recovered quickly. "I'm Sam Manson and this is Danny."

"Thank you Sam, Thank you Danny. You guys saved my life. If you ever need a favor just look me up." Missy grabbed the red blanket the ski patrol had given her and walked over to the ski lift head back down the mountain.

Danny looked at Sam, "Was it just me or was that kind of weird?"

"I guess that was just how she reacted to shock? Anyways it's getting late, maybe we should head back." Sam grabbed the blankets that they had gotten from the ski patrol and gave them to the person behind the counter at the small rest area. She then walked over to a large board that had a map of the mountain on it. "So want to walk down?"

"Are you serious?" Danny asked looking at Sam.

"Of course, a little walk won't kill you, especially after what we've been through today."

"Well its not the walk I'm worried about. But it looks like there's a storm coming and I'd prefer to be back at the hotel by the time it hits"

Sam looked at the gathering clouds, "We probably have a few hours before the storm hits, the walk back shouldn't take that long. We can even cut across this side path and save some time." She traced a small white line that cut across part of the mountain. "Please?"

"Fine but lets hurry ok?"

Sam was very tempted to hug Danny but held back for some reason. They set off and it didn't take them long to find the second path. It was only about five feet wide but cut through some thick woods. They started walking down the path and Danny had to admit it was really nice walking next to Sam on this quiet little road without anyone else around. His mind started to wonder, he imagined taking Sams hand, pulling her off the path and kissing her. She'd look into his eyes.

He would reach out and cup her check again, but this time they wouldn't be interrupted. His daydream was rudely interrupted though when he didn't notice the path turning slightly and smacked into a tree. He sat on the ground blinking for a minute, Sam was kneeling next to him. "Danny, are you alright?"

"Yea, guess I was just zoned out." Danny said getting up.

"I'll say so, what were you thinking about?"

Danny blushed remembering his thoughts. "Nothing really"

Sam didn't miss his blush, and she started blushing along with him. _Whys he __blushing,__ was he thinking of me? No of course not, but maybe._ They walked on in silence, Danny though couldn't help but look at Sam every chance he got. After a while a soft snow started falling. "Um Sam shouldn't we have gotten back by now?"

"Yea, the path wasn't this long on the map. There weren't any turns or other paths we could have taken by mistake. And we defiantly should have run into the main path by now."

"Maybe we missed it somehow?"

"No, it went all the way around the mountain, there's no way _to_ miss it." Sam looked back the way they had come and then where they were going. Nothing but trees and snow. They kept walking on and the snow kept falling.

Finally Danny stopped. "Hold on Sam, I'm going to fly up and see where we are."

"Alright, be careful" Sam said as Danny changed and flew up. The wind above the trees was stronger then below them and knocked Danny around for a moment. When he stopped and looked around he could barely make out where the mountain was. The snow was getting heavier and the clouds were low. They were still on the far side of the mountain and he couldn't see any other paths.

He checked every direction, with no luck. He floated back down to the path, but Sam was no where to be seen. He looked back down the path and ahead, she was gone

(A/N: Should I end it here? I really want to. But I guess even I'm not that mean)

Danny didn't know which way Sam would have gone or why she would have left. He didn't even know if she was still on the path. He started to run down the path in the direction they had been going, but the snow was deep enough to make it hard going. He was tempted to simple fly down the path but was afraid of missing something. So he had to settle for floating quickly calling out Sams name as he went.

Danny was just about ready to turn around and head the other way when he saw something black sitting on the side of the path. "Sam?!"

The figure stirred as Danny landed next to it, Sam looked up at him and jumped up wrapping her arms around him. "Danny! Where did you go?"

"No where, when I landed you were gone." Danny was a little confused but wasn't complaining about the hug which Sam hadn't stopped yet.

"I waited for you to come back but you didn't, after awhile I got worried and started down the path again thinking you might have landed farther along."

"But I was only gone for a few minutes" At this Sam pulled away and Danny couldn't hide his disappointment. _Did I say something wrong?_

"Danny I waited around for over twenty minutes." Sams look told Danny that she was telling the truth. He didn't know how that could have happened though. There was a silence that seemed to just go on. "So Danny did you find another path?"

"No, I couldn't see anything. Were still on the mountain but there aren't any other paths around."

Sam frowned, "I guess we should just keep going then."

Danny nodded, "I'll fly us though, it'll be faster. I can't fly us above the trees though, the winds to strong."

Sam nodded and stepped closer to Danny, she wrapped her arms around him and he floated off the ground for a minute to let her adjust. Once they were going though Sam just kept one arm around Dannys waist and Danny did the same. There just wasn't enough room on the path for anything else. Neither noticed it but they were each holding the other a bit tighter than they normally would.

Even with Danny flying them along they didn't see anything besides woods for a long time. Eventually the snow started falling so hard Danny had to slow down. Finally they were only slowly floating, it was still better then walking which would have been nearly impossible at this point.

Danny could feel Sam shivering next to him, while ghost the cold wasn't to bad for him but he knew she must be freezing. _I need to find us someplace warm and fast._ Luck would appear to be on their side because just then Danny saw a clearing on the side of the path and a building. He floated them over to it, which was harder now that it was quickly becoming dark.

The building was part of a small town, a really small town, several building around a fountain. All the buildings were old and run down, the wood was weathered and there was no paint on them. The largest building had a wooden tower attached to it that held a clock that's hands were still.

Danny ghosted them into the nearest building, the inside was covered in dust and the furniture was laying scattered. But it was out of the wind. Danny set Sam down and looked around. There was a fireplace in the corner but the room was really large and he wasn't sure how much good it would do.

"I'm going to look around Sam." Sam nodded brushing snow from her hair. Danny ghosted through all the rooms in the building, nothing of interest to be seen. All the rooms were abandoned and looked like they had been for a hundred years. He thought about checking the other buildings but decided against it.

When he got back to Sam she had pushed some of the smaller pieces of furniture into the fire place and was trying to light it. Danny bent down next to her. "Allow me" He sent a few sparks of his ghost power into the wood which quickly caught and started crackling as it burned.

Soon the fire was going good and they had more than enough wood to keep it going through the night. They could hear the storm outside as the wind picked up even more. Sam and Danny were both sitting near the fire covered in some old dusty blankets Sam had found in a corner. "I wonder how long it'll take for my mom to realize I'm missing."

Danny didn't answer, it really wasn't a question. Instead he was looking at the front windows which had somehow remained unbroken. He could see the outline of the other buildings through the dirty glass. "I wonder what this place used to be."

"Maybe some little town set up by an old resort, as a tourist attraction." Sam said scooting closer towards the fire and Danny. Neither mentioned how hungry they were, the last meal they had had was breakfast back at Sam apartment.

Sam reached over to a stack of wood they had gathered and picked up a box to throw on the fire. As she did a pair of glasses fell out. She picked them up and looked at them. They were very old and had very thin rims. The lenses were so thick that when Sam put them on her eyes became twice their normal size. Amazingly though the glasses weren't cracked or even dirty.

Danny looked at Sam while she had the glasses on and started cracking up. Sam gave him a dirty look which lost some of its force with her still wearing the glasses. She took them off and set them down next to the pile of wood.

As the night went on Sam fell asleep leaning against Danny. Despite all the time he had spent on the streets and all the storms he'd had to ride out in abandoned buildings there were to many things bothering him for him to sleep. How they hadn't found the path, how he had only been up in the air for a few minutes but it had been twenty for Sam, how they had found this town. None of it felt right. So instead of sleep he stayed up to feed the fire.

Danny didn't know how long he had dozed off for but the fire had died down some. He threw more wood on it and it quickly grew again. Glancing at Sam he frowned. Her face had a troubled look on it, he'd seen that look before. She was having a nightmare. Without knowing why he put his arms around her and held her close to him. Gradually her face softened and a smile crossed it.

It was hard to tell when morning finally came. The snow was still coming down hard. Sam was the first one to wake up, and for a few minutes all the troubles of the night before were kept at bay by a feeling of warmth and security. When Sam opened her eyes her face was only a few inches from Dannys and his arms were warped lightly around her. She smiled at his sleeping face. She could see the dying embers of the fire and knew he must have been up in the night to keep it going.

She leaned over and her lips brushed his check, "Thanks Danny"

Danny stirred when Sam kissed his check and Sam quickly pretended to be asleep again, suddenly embarrassed. Hoping her blush didn't give her away.

Danny opened his eyes to a dim light, which probably meant it was morning. Sam was still sleeping next to him but her face looked a little flushed. He gently shook her, "Sam wake up"

Sam opened her eyes and sat up. "Good morning Danny"

"I think we should try flying out of here" Danny said while looking at the dead fire. He'd spent a lot of the night thinking about it. If they stayed here for long they'd freeze.

Sam nodded, they really didn't have much of a choice. There was no use putting it off so Sam stood up and wrapped her arms around Dannys waist. He changed into his ghost form and turned them both intangible. They ghosted through the roof and into the wind and snow. Sam tucked her face into Dannys neck to protect it from the stinging wind. Danny kept them intangible to keep the worst of the snow and wind off of them.

The snow was still heavy and he had a hard time keeping them in the air but he pushed on towards the other side of the mountain where the resort should be. It was a lot harder flying then he had thought it would be and he was regretting the whole idea. Sam was still holding on to him and his biggest worry was her right then.

Danny kept flying, nearly blind in the snow. Soon he was flying lower barely skimming the trees. He couldn't keep them any higher. It was impossible for him to judge how long he had been flying, everything looked the same. Then he saw lights, they were farther along the mountain and he started flying towards them.

Suddenly a guest of wind hit them hard and Danny was knocked from the sky. It felt like he had been punched, he landed in a snow bank and blacked out for a minute. When he came to a light layer of snow had already covered him and he struggled to sit up. He looked next to him for Sam, she wasn't there. "Sam! Sam!"

Danny floated up and looked around, they hadn't been up very high so she couldn't be very far away. Unfortunately the snow below him was smooth, even the hole he made when he had fallen was already covering up. He knew though Sam must be somewhere under there, she had to be.


	16. Safe?

(A/N: Wow over two year since I updated. I am really sorry I don't remember how this got away from me. I feel even worse because I've had several more chapters written and sitting on my computer for a long time. Ok this is on the short side but it seems like a good place to start back up again. And thanks to Literary Lord for bringing it to my attention.)

Disclaimer: Still don't own Danny Phantom

Chapter 15: Safe?

Danny landed and started digging through the snow bank looking for Sam, calling her name. Minutes passed without any sign of her. Danny was beyond desperate. Then, finally, he saw a hand sticking out of the snow. He raced to it and started franticly digging, pushing snow away from the hand and arm.

When he uncovered Sam's face it was nearly as pale as the snow and her lips were light blue. "Sam Sam! Wake up!"

Sam's eyes cracked open. "Danny, ow what happened?"

He didn't answer; hurriedly he shoved snow out of the way until he could pull her free. Then sat there with his arms wrapped around her. "Sam I'm so sorry!"

"For what?" She was still somewhat out of it but her memories of the flight were coming back.

"I broke my promise, I dropped you." Danny didn't know what else to say, it had been the worst experience of his life. Even worse than when his parents had chased him or knowing every day that they wouldn't hesitate to capture and dissect him. "I didn't mean to, I didn't even know I had till I was in the snow drift."

Sam put a finger on Danny's lips to stop him before he started again. "Danny, its ok. It wasn't your fault. Can we just go someplace warm now?"

Danny nodded. He helped Sam up but she leaned heavily on him as they walked in the direction of the resort. Danny didn't want to chance flying them again, he didn't even think he could fly in the wind anymore. Though when the snow became too deep he floated them over it. It took almost an hour before they could see the resort through the trees, by then Danny was carrying Sam.

In another half an hour they were only a few dozen feet away from the resorts front door, Danny had already changed back into his human form, being too tired to stay ghost. A man was standing outside the door smoking when they stumbled into the light cast by a lamp. When he saw them he dropped his cigarette and ran to help. "You kids ok?"

Danny was too tired and relived to speak but somehow Sam wasn't. "We got lost when the storm hit."

The man nodded and helped them inside, people swarmed over them; check for injurys. Danny didn't really know what was happening by that point. Exhaustion finally overcame him and he passed out.

When Danny came to he was laying on a bed in what must have been the resorts infirmary. The walls were a deep brown wood and there were several other beds. Cabinets full of medicine and medical supplies were scattered throughout the room. All the other beds were empty.

Danny struggled to sit up, he needed to know find out Sam was. Door opened and Tucker walked in. "Yo Danny your up!"

"Tucker, what happened where's Sam!"

"Relax dude, Sam's fine. Her mom had her moved back to her room. What happened to you guys anyways?"

Danny told Tucker everything that had happened. Then he got out of bed. "I'm going to check on her"

"Are you sure? The nurses here probably won't like you just leaving" Tucker really didn't think that could stop Danny though, and he didn't intend to try. Danny was one of the most stubborn people he knew.

"To bad." Danny said walking out of the infirmary. It took him a few minutes to find his way back up to Sam's room. He reached out to knock, then hesitated. He considered ghosting in but in the end he did knock.

"Come in"

Danny opened the door. Sam was sitting up in her bed. She was wearing a black button down silk night shirt and matching pants, the sleeves on her shirts were rolled up and her arms were bandaged. She smiled when she saw it was Danny. "Glad you're awake finally."

Danny walked over and sat next to Sam. "So how are you Sam?"

"Alright, I would have been a lot worse off if it wasn't for you."

"It was my fault you were hurt in the first place." Danny couldn't even look at Sam, it was all his fault and he knew it. No matter what, people got hurt around him. For the hundredth time he questioned how smart it had been to stay with Sam.

Sam reached out and cupped Danny's check, "Danny. None of this was your fault. My mom would have brought me here with or without you. I would have been skiing and been caught in the storm. Its because of you that I'm alive. Thank you"

Danny didn't argue, Sam made a good point but he still felt that without him around none of it would have happened. "So did your mom come by for a visit?"

Sam glanced towards the window. "Yea, she came by for a few minutes earlier. Then left saying she had to let everyone know I was ok. That was a couple of hours ago."

There was an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes before same ask. "So Danny want to stay and watch a movie?"

Danny smiled, "Sure"

On the wall opposite the bed was a flat screen TV, When it wasn't being used the picture changed so it looked like a painting of flowers. Sam started searching for something to watch. Danny walked to the other side of the bed and set down cross legged.

* * *

On the main floor in a private room Sam mother and several upper class women were sitting at a large table with glasses of wine. One of the women took a sip from her glass and turned towards Mrs. Manson, "I'm so glad to hear your daughter is alright. It must have been horrible."

"It was, I'm so relived she back safe and well." She said.

The woman glanced at Mrs. Manson and smiled, "You know I hear that she was found with a young man, I wonder what they could have been doing out there for so long."

Another woman frowned. "I would never allow dear little Elizabeth out with some no name boy."

"I can assure you that she was not with anyone. A young man did find her when she reached the resort but that is all." In truth Sam's mother knew her daughter had been found with a young man, she had seen him when she went to the infirmary and insisted that Sam be moved to her own room. He looked so familiar but she couldn't place where she had seen him before. She decided to ask Samantha about him later.

She was worried about why they had been out there together, and even more worried about what people would say if they knew what had happened.

* * *

In Danny's old home his parents were sitting at the kitchen table. Jack was working on a box that he hoped would help him catch a ghost while Maddie was reading the newspaper and sipping a cup of coffee. That is until the cup fell from her hand, "Jack!"

"What?" Jack said jumping up knocking the box he had been working on to the floor, "Did you see a ghost?"

Maddies face was pale and she nodded, she handed Jack the paper. In a small article on a back page there was an article about a girl who had almost died at the Amity Alp's ski resort. What had both of their attention though was a picture below the article of the girl who had almost fallen off a cliff. Next to her were to other people, another girl who had her head turned away from the camera talking to a boy. A boy with black hair and blue eyes, they knew him, he was their son, Danny.

(A/N: hope you guys enjoyed, I'll be back in a few days with the next chapter.)


	17. Mother Daughter bonding

(A/N: Wow I got a much better response to my last chapter then I thought I would. Thank you everyone. Alright two things I have gotten a lot of mail about that I never explained well.

One: Danny's parents were convinced he had been killed by a ghost. Though the official police report still lists him as missing because there was never any evidence he had been killed. On a side note they also saw Danny in his ghost form once and believe he was the ghost that killed Daniel.

Two: in the chapter were Danny Tucker and Sam are having dinner and Sam gets a call. That was probably just tucker distracting her so he could tie her and Danny's food together.

Ok hope that cleared some things up. Enjoy and I'll see you all soon.)

Thief

Chapter 16: Mother Daughter bonding

Disclaimer: I do, I don't, I do, I don't… guess I still don't own Danny Phantom.

Tucker lay on his bed bored out of his mind. He was sure Danny was with Sam and he didn't want to bother them. They deserved so peace and quiet after everything they had been through. Still it left him with little else to do. He had already tried flirting with some girls, sadly their boyfriends didn't like that much. Tucker was still wondering what he could do when there was a knock on his door. "Come in."

Valerie entered, now dressed in a yellow sweat shirts and carrying several books under her arm. "Just making sure you weren't up to no good."

"Me?" Tucker pretended to be hurt. "I'll have you know I haven't done a single thing wrong."

"Oh? I thought flirting with girls in earshot of their boyfriends counted as both a bad idea and wrong."

"You know about that?"

"I was there, by the way you reeeeally need to work on your pick up lines."

"Hey those are classics!"

"Sure they were." Valerie turned to leave but Tucker stopped her.

"What do we have here?" he pulled a book out from under her arm. '40 great short stories' "Aren't these for a high school English class?"

"Yes, I was just reading them though, because I like them."

Tucker held the book at arm's length as if he were afraid it would bit him. "Who in their right mind would _like_ these?"

"I would!" Valerie grabbed the book from tucker.

"Sorry, mind if I ask you something?"

"What?"

"How old are you, really?"

"What, I'm twenty two."

"Sure you are, you're on the short side then. You have a high school English book, and you're registered at Amity high."

"Wait how did you know where I go to school?"

"I got bored earlier so I checked it out."

She sighed, "Then you know, do your parents?"

"Nah, they don't do as comprehensive background checks as I do. So why lie about your age?"

"I need the money ok? Now I have to go I have homework to do."

"I'll help. Just bring it over."

"Fine." She couldn't risk arguing with him. If he told his parents.

Valerie left a came back a few minutes later holding a pile of books and paper in her arms. While she had been gone Tucker had been busy straightening up his room. Which meant mostly shoving a few things back into one of his suitcases. She set her books down on the bed.

She hadn't expected much help from Tucker but he was surprisingly knowledgably. They spent nearly an hour working but Valerie got as much work done as she would have in three hours by herself. "Hey Tucker? Why did you check up on my age?"

"Because I'm usually not attracted to older women." He covered his mouth as soon as he realized what he'd said.

Valerie smiled. "Sorry but you have no chance with me, even if I do need this job"

"Why not?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

"Probably not." After that they went back to work but Valerie couldn't help stealing glances at Tucker every now and then.

Finally they finished, she'd expected that work to take two days but they'd done it in a single morning. Tucker flopped back on the bed and started snoring. Valerie shook her head but couldn't help but smile at him. "Maybe if you fix those pick up line you'll have a shot at me"

She moved her work off the bed and lay back too, soon she was also asleep.

* * *

Danny and Sam spent the day watching movies in her room and Sam ordered room service for them. After everything that had happened over the last few days it seemed almost too normal. Still they were both determined to enjoy it and to relax.

Danny reached over for his drink on the night stand and brushed a pair of glasses, "Why did you bring these back Sam?"

Sam looked at the glasses and shrugged, "I didn't, I just found them in my pocket earlier. I must have stuck them in there without realizing it"

There was a knock at the door and Sam's mother came in with a swirl of her dress. "Oh Samantha!..."

She froze looking at the bed. Sam glanced next to her where Danny had been, he wasn't there anymore. "What?"

She slowly walked over to the side of the bed where Danny had been, then bent down and looked under the bed. Sam played innocent. "Uhm Mom what are you doing"

"Wasn't there a boy here a moment ago?"

"No, are you feeling alright?"

"Yes, I mean no. Never mind. I want to know who that boy was and what you were out doing with him when the storm hit, and I want the truth young lady." Mrs. Manson tried to look as stern as she could, which wasn't much because she still looked very confused.

"His name is Danny, he's just a friend."

"If he's a friend from Amity then what's he doing up here? Wait isn't he the waiter from the Kristen charity event? I'm sure of it." She said putting the pieces together.

"He's also a friend of Tuckers, who invited him to go skiing. We ran into each other on the slope and decided to walk back but got caught in the storm. And yes you did meet him at that event but he wasn't a waiter."

Mrs. Manson frowned. "I don't like it, he's following you around. I have a bad feeling about him Samantha. I think it would be best if you stayed away from him."

"What! If it wasn't for him I probably would have frozen to death!" Sam yelled not caring if someone heard.

"Don't raise your voice to me, I will do what I think is best for you." With that she left the room.

A minute later Danny appeared by the window. He wanted to say something to calm Sam down but couldn't think of anything. He needed to work on his social skills. "Guess I didn't hide quick enough."

Sam sat with her arms folded for a few minutes then sighed, "Sorry about that Danny."

"Don't sweat it." He set back down next to Sam. "Hey why don't we go see Tucker?"

"Why?"

"Trust me, watching Tucker try to pick up girls can put anyone in a good mood."

Sam didn't think watching Tucker make a fool of himself would do much for her mood but it couldn't hurt. So she got up and walked over to her dresser. After grabbing a few clothes she went to her bathroom, then stuck her head back out the door and jokingly said, "Don't try sneaking in got it?"

Danny nodded. He wouldn't have tried of course. A minute later Sam came out in her normal clothes, plus a black sweat shirt. She went to her door and opened it, Danny was about to follow her through when she stopped.

Sam had opened her door to find a large man standing outside. He was blond and wore an Amity Spas uniform. He smiled, "Hello, your mother requested someone watch your room. To make sure no one bothered you and you didn't leave before you are ready to."

Sam frowned but tried to stay civil. "Well thank you but I can assure you that I am ready to leave and no one has bothered me."

"Well I'm just supposed to keep you in your room, sorry." He admitted sheepishly.

Sam closed the door. Danny had hid along the wall when he had seen the guy guarding the door. "So Danny, guess you have to break me out."

"Always a pleasure." Danny changed and soon they had ghosted out, and invisibly made their way down the hall to Tuckers room. They ghosted through his door and stopped. Tucker was sleeping on his bed, and next to him, also asleep was Valerie. Sam pulled Danny out the door and into the hall.

They looked at each other, then Danny said, "Well at least they were both wearing clothes. That would have been really awkward if they hadn't been."

Sam glanced at the door, she looked a little green. "So do you think they?"

"No, I think Tucker would faint if he ever got to second base. Though it looks like they have gotten closer. I wonder how old Valerie is anyways."

Sam kept her mouth shut, she hadn't promised Valerie she wouldn't tell Danny about her age but she didn't think she'd want her to either.

After finding Tucker and Valerie sleeping Danny had ghosted them down to the main level and they had found of all things an arcade. Danny turned them tangible in a dark corner so no one would notice and they spent an hour playing some of the games, Sam won most of them.

"Uhg how did you get so good at video games?" Danny asked after losing space wars for the fifth time.

Sam just laughed, "What you didn't notice all the games I have in my room?"

"No"

"You know I thought thief's had to be good at stuff like checking out a room in a glance and things."

"I guess being invisible has spoiled me a bit."

Sam gave Danny a playful punch in the arm, then her cell rang. Sam pulled it out of her pocket and sighed, "Great it's my mom"

She answered it, "Hi Mom"

Danny could hear the conversation even from feet away. "Samantha! Where are you!"

"Relax I'm down in the arcade."

"Relax? Do not tell me to relax young lady! You snuck out of your room! You shouldn't be out of bed, you could have been kidnapped. How did you even get out of the room? Don't tell me you climbed out the window like a delinquent?"

Sam held the phone away from her head as her mother kept yelling. Danny gave her an apologetic look. Finally she stopped yelling and said in a very calm voice. "Alright Samantha come back to your room right now."

The line clicked as her mother hung up. "Sorry Danny looks like I better go."

"Ok, good luck."

Sam left the arcade and went to the elevators in the lobby, there were only a few people around this late in the afternoon and as the doors slide closed she heard Danny's disembodied voice "Hold that door"

"Danny!" Sam hissed, "What are you doing someone could see you."

"I'm invisible, besides no one else is around."

"Fine but what are you doing?"

"I just thought you might need a little support, your mom sounded pretty mad."

"That's sweet Danny but I can handle her."

"Ok,"

Sam waited a minute, "You're still there aren't you."

"…No"

Sam sighed then laughed. When the elevator doors opened Sam walked towards her room, she noticed the guard wasn't outside her door anymore. Her mother was waiting for her inside. "Well?"

"Well what?" Sam asked innocently.

"What were you doing? I want explanations young lady".

"I just got bored so I went down to play some games".

"Of course you did, I bet you happened to run into that boy Danny to didn't you? I'm sure you two just played some _games_?"

Sam didn't like the way her mother said games, she knew she meant something totally different. "What does it matter to you? The only time you ever care about me is when you're afraid I'll do something that'll embarrass you."

"Maybe if you weren't trying to embarrass me at every turn I would have time to spend with you. If you weren't constantly rebelling we could do so much together." She stood up and walked towards the door.

"We could do plenty together if you stopped caring what all those stuck up snobs thought for even a minute!"

"Samantha, when you decided to stop seeing the trash you call a friend and start acting like a proper daughter let me know, until then do not leave this room".

Danny was standing just behind Sam and saw her about to lose it, so he reached out and gently laid his hand on her shoulder. Sam watched as her mother closed the door, then grabbed one of her suitcases and threw it across the room. Hitting the dresser and knocked over a vase of flowers and a stuffed bear.

Sam sat down on her bed and let her head sag; Danny became visible and sat next to her. "Sam, don't listen to her."

"I won't, I'm just tired of fighting with her. I'm never going to be the kind of daughter my parents want."

Danny put his arm around Sam. "So? I wouldn't change a thing about you. It's your parents fault for not seeing what an amazing daughter they have".

Sam smiled, "Gezz Danny do you even know how corny you sound?"

"Probably pretty corny".

"You got that right. But thanks"

"Anytime".

They stayed like that for awhile, and probably would have most of the night if Sam's phone hadn't started buzzing. She picked it up and listened for a minute. "Ok sounds fun".

She hung up and looked at Danny. "Tucker invited up to try out the hot springs with him and Valerie."

"Sure you want to go?"

"Yea, it'll be good to just relax. Go get changed were meeting them in ten minutes".

(A/N: It might not have seemed like too much happened in this chapter but several plot twists were planted. I do feel kind of bad so I'll probably post the next chapter in a few days.)


	18. Hot tubs and restraining orders

(A/N: I think I'm going to make Wednesdays my update day. Hope you all enjoy and thank you to all the wonderful reviewers)

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom or any characters under the brand.

Thief

Chapter 17: Hot tubs and restraining orders

Sam went into her bathroom and changed into her bathing suit, then stopped and looked at herself in the mirror. The removed the bandages wrapped around her arms. Slightly pink sink was the only reminder of their trouble in the snow storm. Gabbing her towel she opened the door and nearly ran into two guards standing back to back in the hall.

She staggered back a step. Then glared at them, "Mind moving?"

"Sorry, were not to let you out unless there is a fire. Please don't try starting one."

"I said move." Sam was not in the mood to be polite to them.

"No, you're not going anywhere tonight." With that he closed the door. She heard it lock.

Sam considered forcing her way out of the room but calmed herself, she sat on her bed and waited. Soon enough Danny ghosted into the room.

"Hey Sam, something wrong?" He was wearing a pair of light blue trunks she had gotten for him before the trip.

She tried to ignore his shirtless upper body. It wasn't the first time she had seen him like this but it still had an effect on her. So much so that she took several seconds to answer him. "Just the two guards outside my door. Mind helping a girl escape from her prison?"

Danny gave a mock bow, "It would be my honor."

Sam got up and wrapped an arm around Danny's waist and waited for him to ghost them downstairs. Danny was uncomfortable aware of Sam's body next to his with only a thin piece of material between them. As they moved through the floor Sam's body pressed against his. He had to concentrate so some part of them wouldn't get stuck in the building.

The way the hotel was built on a slope the hot springs were below the main floor, Danny ghosted them down and they ended up in a tiled locker room. Luckily the room was empty, Danny turned them visible and they walked into a huge room full of steam. As the left a man cleared his throat, Danny turned to look at him. "Excuse me sir, I don't mean to sound rude but at this establishment we tend to discourage males entering the female changing room."

Danny mumbled an apology and hurried after Sam; the man didn't follow but kept an eye on them.

Tucker and Valery were already in a large hot tube in the corner of the room, there was enough steam so that Danny couldn't see the man any longer. Two walls of the room glass so between the clouds of steam they had a view of the stars undimmed by city lights and a postcard perfect white forest.

The water was hot and there was more than enough room for the four of them to stretch out. A tray with a clay bottle on it floated by Danny. "Hey Tucker what's that?"

Tucker picked up the bottle and uncorked it. He held it to his nose and sniffed then looked at the bottle. "I think it's warmed Sake. Anyone want some?"

Valery grabbed the bottle and re-corked it, then set it on the tray and pushed it away. "No, I'm here to keep you from doing stuff like that."

"Oh come on, what could it hurt."

Valery Sam and Danny gave Tucker a look saying they could only imagine. "Fine."

Danny noticed Sam and Valery move away from him and Tucker and started talking in quiet voices. Tucker noticed too, "Wonder what they're talking about"

Danny shrugged; he didn't feel like trying to understand girl's right then.

"So you and Sam together yet?" Tucker said.

"What?" Danny sat up and looked at him.

"Come on you two are totally into each other, remember I can tell these things." Tucker said.

"Like you can tell when a girl digs you?" Danny asked.

"Hey, all girls dig the Tucker, they just don't want to admit it." Tucker said.

"Sure, Tucker don't make me drown you." Danny said.

"Fine dude but she really does look like she's into you." Tucker said.

"No, she isn't." Danny said.

Tucker shook his head. Danny was so dense.

* * *

Once Sam and Valery were out of ear shot of Tucker and Danny Sam asked Valery what had happened between her and Tucker.

"He found out how old I am, then helped me with two days of math work."

"How'd he find out?"

"Apparently he did a background check on me. He said t was because he normally isn't attracted to older women." Valery said.

"So are you two together now?" Sam asked in a teasing voice.

"No, besides have you heard his pickup lines?" Valery said.

"They aren't that bad." Sam said.

"I guess not but his parents would fire me I they found out we dated or anything. So there's no chance. What about you and Danny?"

"What about us?" Sam asked. Turning away a little.

"You two together?" Valery said.

"Of course not! Were just friends." Sam said.

"mhm, sure you are" Valery said.

"We are!" Sam said.

"That's a shame, he's kind of cute. Seems nice, and Tucker says he saved you in that storm."

"Yea he did and he is, nice I mean not cute, not that he isn't kind of cute in an awkward way."

Valery smiled. "You better get him soon before someone else does."

"I don't care if someone else gets him."

"Why are you fighting it?"

"I'm not." But she did sink her head most of the way under the water to hide a blush.

Shortly after his talk with Tucker, Danny started drifting off to sleep, of course he didn't realize that until he floated over and bumped into Sam. "Sorry, must have dozed off."

Tucker swam over. "I'll say, when was the last time you had a good sleep?"

Danny thought about, "Not since we came here actually."

Valery stood up, "Sleep sounds good, I'm getting light headed."

She got out of the water, Tucker followed, "Allow me to walk you back to your room."

"Alright but try anything and I'll *yawn* hurt you tomorrow."

"Me? Try something? Of course I wouldn't"

Valery resisted the urge to push Tucker back into the spa. Instead they disappeared into the steam. Danny and Sam were left alone in the large room, they couldn't see or hear anyone else. Sam tried to ignore the feeling in the stomach at being alone with Danny. To take her mind off of it she looked out the window at the stars above. A single star shoat across the sky, _I wish my parents would except me for me._

Sam started to feel light headed and laughed at the wish. Then her phone rang. She had left it rolled up in her towel even though it was supposedly waterproof; Sam got out of the water and grabbed the phone. It was her Father.

She hesitated then flipped it open. "Hello"

"Hello Samantha, I just spoke to your mother. I know she has a tendency to over exaggerate but from what she said you've been sneaking out to see a stalker?"

"No! He's not a stalker he's just a friend I ran into up here."

"Uh hu, the way I hear it is you've been sneaking off with him at all hours and even spent the night with him? I'm worried I've seen these things happen before."

"It's not like that, we were skiing and decided to walk back. Then a storm hit, if it wasn't for him I would have died."

"I know it may seem that way but did you ever consider he's the reason you were out there in the first place? Some people can make it look like they're helping you when they aren't."

"I know that! But he's not like that."

"I'm sure he doesn't seem like that but still. Your mother has asked I get a restraining order against him and I am."

"What no! You can't do that!"

"Yes we can. It's for your own good, until you can learn who to trust."

Sam slammed the phone closed and stared at it, her fist trembling. She walked back to the spa and grabbed the bottle of Sake. Not bothering with the cups she took a mouth full of it and nearly choked. Sam coughed up most of it, as soon as she stopped she tried to take another gulp but Danny grabbed the bottle from her, "Sam what are you doing!"

She grabbed the bottle back and managed to drink a little more and spill a good deal into the water. "Whatever the hell I want! Do you know what my dad's trying to do? Get a restraining order against you. You save my life and they think it's all some conspiracy to kidnap me or something. Screw them! I can do what I want."

Danny wrestled the mostly empty bottle of sake away from Sam who staggered after him. "Give that back!"

Danny grabbed Sam by the shoulder. "Sam calm down"

"I don't want to! I'm drunk!"

"Yea you are, come on." Danny ghosted them back up to her room; one of the advantages of his powers was that he could leave water behind when he turned intangible so they were dry when they reached her bed.

Danny let her go and she swayed for a minute, rose color spread across her normally pale cheeks. She gave Danny a look that showed she was still mad. "Wait here."

She grabbed something from a suitcase and went into the bathroom, a minute later she came out wearing a black tank top and a pair of pink short shorts. "Not one comment about the shorts Mr." Then she broke into uncontrollable giggles and had to sit down in a chair.

Danny waited to see what she'd do next, finally she calmed down. Her head swayed to unheard music. Danny walked over to the chair. "Alright I think it's time you go to bed and sleep this off."

Sam threw her arms in the air, "Carry me!"

Danny wasn't sure what to do so he picked her up bridal style and carried her to the bed, she had her arms wrapped around his neck and when he tried to set her down she pulled him on top of her. Her mouth was only inches away from his and her lips were parted. He fought the urge to bend down and kiss her not wanting to take advantage of her like this. "I'm sorry Danny"

Danny was brought back to reality by Sam, "I'm sorry I keep making a mess of everything."

"You don't, you never have. It's my fault if I hadn't come back with you that night none of this would have happened."

"I'm glad you did, I wouldn't trade you for anything including my parent's acceptance." Sam leaned forward to close the space between them and for a moment their lips touched. A warm electricity spread through Danny. Then he pulled back.

Sam made a sound of protest. "Sorry Sam, but you'd regret it in the morning."

The next thing Danny felt was a pillow hitting his head; Sam had grabbed one of hers and slammed him with enough force to knock him onto the floor. She leaned over and threw it at him, "Mean boys sleep on the floor."

Then she rolled over and fell asleep. Danny sat there stunned. "Man when she drunk she really drunk. Still guess it could have been worse, she could have hit me with a book."

He lay on the floor trying not to think about her soft lips. Once again he didn't get a good night's sleep.

(A/N: Hope you enjoyed, so tired…. Must sleep.)


	19. Parental problems

(A/N: Good evening everyone. Enjoy! And thank you to everyone who's added my to their alerts list and favorites. And a special thanks to my reviewers.

Littlesongbird34

Bloomsky4ever

Gothsamphan14

Demigod-wannbe-love

Sunshine-Midnight123

Thelittlemonster17

Luiz4200

Dannyandsamlover

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Thief

Chapter Eighteen: Parental problems

Sam woke feeling like her head was full of mud. It took several seconds before she could open her eyes. Light from the window nearly blinded her and she groaned hiding her head under the covers. She cursed at herself because even her groan had sounded like a fog horn in her head. After a few minutes of just breathing she slowly lowered the covers from around her head.

The light was still too bright but it was tolerable now. Sam got up and went to take a shower in the hopes that it would help with her hang over. It didn't do much good.

After her shower Sam wrapped herself in a fuzzy black rope and opened the window in her room. Freezing air from outside rushed in. Sam slammed the window closed. "Shit shit shit shit!"

Of course that just happened to be when Danny ghosted into the room. "Good morning Sam."

Sam winced. "Not so loud."

Danny lowered his voice. "Sorry, bad hang over?"

"Yes, I just stuck my head outside hoping that would help but it didn't."

"You need a good breakfast."

Sam groaned again. "I don't want to, just let me crawl into my closet."

Danny shook his head. "Sorry, you can either get dressed and come or I bring you down in that, your choice."

"Fine, but I will have pay back" Sam started to take off her rob before she remembered Danny was still there. "Out now"

"Sorry" Danny said sheepishly before ghosting out of the room.

A few minutes later they arrived at the table where Tucker and Valery were seated. Not surprisingly Tucker ordered every piece of meat from the menu. Sam didn't even bother to tell him off, instead she ordered a coffee extra black.

When the waitress brought it to her she took one sip and made a face that looked horrible, it was accompanied by a choking noise. "Gah!"

Everyone else tried not to laugh. Sam pushed the cup aside and helped herself to a little toast and fruit. Neither of which seemed to do much to improve her mood. After breakfast Danny ghosted Sam back to her room so she could try and sleep the rest of her hang over off. Back in her room Sam sat on her bed, "Sorry about last night Danny."

"It's ok, so do you remember anything?" Danny said.

"Yea, 'Mean boys sleep on the floor' sorry about that." Sam said.

"It's ok, you were kind of out of it." Danny said.

Before Sam could answer the knob on her door started to turn and Danny disappeared. Sam's mother entered the room. "Good Morning Samantha."

Sam kept her mouth closed and just glared at her.

"Come on sweetie, I have good news. We have a restraining order against that rift raft. Oh and" She pulled a card from her purse, "He really should have learned not to leave his things laying around"

Sam saw the card was one of the ID cards some school made their students carry around with a picture of Danny on it. Sam's mother looked at it. "Tisk, such an uncomely looking boy."

Sam would have lost her cool if Danny didn't have his hand on her shoulder keeping her in check. Mrs. Manson Looked at her daughter. " Nothing to say? That's alright I'm sure you'll thank me once his influence has worn off."

Once she had left Sam let out a long exasperated sigh "I can't believe they did that."

Sam looked at Danny but he looked deep in thought. "Danny?"

"Oh sorry. What?" Danny said.

Sam suppressed a smile. "Nothing. Come on."

"Where?" Danny watched Sam grab a few things.

"I'm taking a bus back to Amity. Let my parents worry about me a bit." She said.

"Are you sure that's smart?" Of course Danny knew he would go with her but he wanted to make sure she was going to do anything stupide.

"I don't care. Tucker can come and pack our stuff. I just can't stand to be in the same place as her right now."

"Alright" Danny reluctantly said and ghosted her out of her room so no one would see and down to a small bus station near the Hotel. According to the schedule there was another bus due in just a few minutes. Half an hour later they were still sitting on the bench as an overhead heater tried to ward off the cold.

Sam stood and marched towards the lobby. "This is ridiculous, how can the bus be so late?"

The front of the hotel was deserted besides a bellhop behind the desk and a janitor mopping the floor. When Sam asked the bellhop about the bus he shrugged and said it wasn't his responsibility. The janitor heard and walked over. "That storm closed the roads, don't worry I her some crazy guy in a tanks been blasting his way through the snow. If it's true the road should be open soon."

"Some guy in a tank?" Sam asked. "Do you honestly believe that?"

"Nah, but makes a good story doesn'…" he cut himself off and leaned over, looking out the front of the building.

Danny and Sam turned to look, and found a huge vehicle crushing its way through the snow. A line of cars following it. Sam gave a low whistle. "Guess there really was a tank."

"That's not a tank, it's my parents family assault vehicle." Danny said.

Sam grabbed his arm and pulled him through the nearest door, which happened to be a broom closet. Most of the space was taken up by a vacuum and broom. To close the door Sam had to press herself against Danny. If the situation wasn't so serious they both would have blushed at the position.

Several skiers had to jump out of the way as the Fenton family assault vehicle plowed into a snow bank. Sam watched through a crack in the door as Danny's parents burst through the front doors. His father rolling across the floors bouncing into a crouch. Some kind of bazooka in his hands. "Alright where's the ghost!"

"Jack! We're here for Danny!"

"Right right sorry." He points the weapon at the bell hop. "Where's Danny!"

"uh, I need to get my manager."

Sam glanced at Danny, he was trying to keep his face calm but he had lost all his color. His foot turned intangible and sank several inches into the floor.

A device on jacks belt beeped. "Finally something I can dissect molecule by molecule."

"Jack!"

"Oh alright, atom by atom."

Danny started to shake. "I need to get out of here."

Sam wrapped her arms around him as they sank into the basement. As soon as their feet touched the floor Danny pulled them through forgotten rooms. Finally they stopped in the wine cellar, crouching behind a rack of bottle. "How did they find me?"

"You did use your powers a lot during the storm, in fact the whole time we were here you have."

Danny shook his head, "they can't pick up ghost activity this far away. If they could they'd have caught me a long time ago."

As he was trying to figure it out her saw a box stuffed with newspaper, he pulled a page out and examined it. On it was a picture of him Sam and the girl they had saved on the cliff. She handed it to Danny. "Stupide! I was careless."

Sam rested a hand on his shoulder. Compared to what he was going through her own parents seemed like nothing. "Come on if your parents are here we should get back to the city."

"Yea," they snuck up a set of stairs to the kitchen. The smell of fresh bread and dish detergent filled the air. Luckily it was between meals and the cooks were sitting at a table helping themselves to leftovers.

Danny and Sam crept along the far wall trying to keep out of sight. Sam's shoulder bumped a stack of pots, it teetered for a second before a heavy pot fell towards Sam.

Danny reached out and grabbed her ankle turning her intangible an instant before the pot crashed through her head. It sounded like a canon when it hit the floor. The dental metal rolled away.

"What the hell was that?" asked a chief jumping up.

"That stupide pile of pots you stacked, get it later we need to start on lunch."

Danny and Sam hurried the last few feet to the door and slipped into the snow. They moved across the back parking lot towards the bus stop.

The Fenton family assault vehicle was still parked in the snow bank, a few curious onlookers venturing closer toward it. Danny and Sam gave it a wide breath.

Finally they reached the bench and collapsed on it. The adrenalin and tension draining from them. A few minutes later the bus arrived and they climbed onboard. An older man was driving. "Tickets."

Sam tossed him a fifty and they moved towards an empty section at the back. The seats were worn but still comfortable and the bus was warm. As they pulled away from the resort Sam let out a deep sigh. That had been close. She looked at Danny, he was still pale, sweating and watching his hands. "Danny?"

"You know, over the last couple of days I was thinking about trying to go home. But my dad, at the first hint of a ghost he just wants to dissect it. I wouldn't last a day."

Sam wanted to tell him it would be ok but even she couldn't imagine what it was like to have to worry about your own parents hunting you down. "You know you're always welcome with me."

"Thanks. You know I'm really glad you decided to sneak out that night and check out that haunted building." Danny said.

Sam turned away from him blushing. "No problem, I'm really glad I found a ghost in it. Uh Danny? Why did you use your powers back in the kitchen? Your parents could have found you."

"I didn't want you to get hurt."

There was no hesitation in his answer. She smiled, how many people would risk themselves like that. Especially for her.

Danny woke to the noises of the city, when he opened his eyes he found he was laying on his side, his head on Sam's lap. Her hand resting lightly on his head. Blushing he gently moved her hand and sat up, they were back in the city stuck in a traffic jam. He watched Sam as she slept peacefully, her face touching the glass.

It wasn't long before the noise of angry drivers woke her. She gave Danny a sleepy smile. "Hi."

He reached over and brushed a few strands of hair out of her face. "Hey you. Thanks for the pillow."

Her face was confused for a second before her eyes widened and she blushed deeply. "Well you just kind of ended up there and you looked so peaceful."

Danny just gave her a knowing smile.

Twenty minutes later the bus had only traveled a single block. Sam was getting annoyed. "Do you know how much fuel they're all wasting? We could walk faster."

"Want to?"

"Sure, were only a few blocks away." She said.

It still took the bus five minutes to move the last ten feet to its stop. Everyone else seemed to have had the same idea and the bus was all but deserted when they got off. A thick snow was falling throughout the city but the sidewalks had been cleared and were still crowded.

They reached Sam's apartment building in just under ten minutes. Danny reached for the doors to open them when a hand grabbed his wrist. A middle aged door man glared at them. "Where do you kids think you're going?"

"To my apartment." Sam answered.

"Right, and just who do you think you are?"

"Sam Manson."

"Right, I've seen Mrs. Manson and there's no way you're related to her. We don't let trash in here so go, scat."

Despite everything, Danny had to hold back a laugh, he felt sorry for the doorman. Sam pulled out her ID and showed it to him; he took it then flicked it towards the street. "Cheap copy."

Danny reached out and caught the card. Even he had to admit that was a cool move. Sam glared at the doorman then pulled out her phone and sent a quick text. The doorman watched them for a minute then grabbed Sam's arm. "I said get out of her."

Danny grabbed the doorman's wrist hard enough to make him release Sam. "Don't touch her."

"Oh punk you just made the worst mistake of your life." He raised his other arm ready to strike Danny's head.

"STOP!" shouted an old man with a limp moving towards them from the lobby. "What are you doing?"

"My job, keeping the trash out. Kid actually said she was a Manson."

"She is! Her family owns the top five floors. And what are you doing to that young man?"

He still had his fist raised, he hastily let go of Danny and lowered his arm. The old man glared at him and made a motion for him to go back inside. Once the doorman was gone the older man turned back to face them. "I'm sorry Sam, there is no excuse for that."

"It's ok, just be glad he didn't try to stop my grandmother."

"Indeed, we don't need any more broken bones."

In the elevator Danny asked Sam what she had meant about her grandmother. "A doorman thought she was just some crazy old lady. She broke his arm and ran over his foot."

As if she heard them they found Sam's grandmother waiting for them on her floor. "What are you doing here?"

"Just wanted to tell you you're fathers on his way over to speak with you. Might want to hid Danny, doubt he'd like to find him here."

"Thanks."

A few minutes later the doors opened again and Sam's father walked in looking very angry. Danny floated invisible near the ceiling watching. Before he could say anything Sam did something that surprised both him and Danny. She hugged him. "I'm sorry I left the resort like that, I just couldn't stand to be there anymore. I know you guys did what you thought was best but you can't control my life."

Her father didn't know what to do, he'd come there fully expecting a huge fight. "Uh ah well yes. Samantha we need to speak about that Daniel boy."

Sam pulled back ready to argue with him but he held up his hand. "Forget what your mother and I think of him for a moment. Do you have any way to reach him? Or know where he is?"

"No, we just ran into each other. Why?"

"Your mother ran into his parents at the resort. And after a good bit of yell about how he must have kidnapped you, which got her banned from there by the way, we found out he's a missing person. He disappeared over a year ago. Next time you see him call me alright?"

"Why? So you can arrest him for violating that restraining order? He's not allowed anywhere near me remember?"

Her father smiled. "I don't think for a moment a restraining order would keep you from seeing him."

Before Sam could recover he had left the apartment. Danny appeared next to her. "What just happened?"

Sam pouted. "I thought I could throw him with the sweet act, but he still got me."

Outside the building Sam's father pulled out his phone. "Do you have the files on the Fenton's?"

"Yes sir, every member of the family."

"Good, have them waiting on my desk."

The next morning Sam woke up to her phone ringing. The caller ID showed her father's number. "Hello?"

"Hello Samantha, I'm sorry I was planning to come home for a while today but I can't, Phantom struck again last night."

(A/N: hope you enjoyed this chapter, see you next week! As always review, or Danny and Sam will never be together! Ok ok I lie but the weapons down!)


	20. Camp 03

(A/N: sorry for the late post, been working on a project for school and lost track of what day it was. Enjoy, review, see you all next week, and thanks again to all my reviewers!)

fawnlovesyou

Thelittlemonster17

gothsamphan14

BubblesHere1

Danny Phantom Phanatic

xXshadowsxX

DaAmazingMeepers

Crazy Joe IFBA

ImNoHeroImTheVillian

Luiz4200

Dannyandsamlover

Frostphantom

xsugarxblossomx

littlesongbird34

GhostMajor

And the anonymous reviewer!

(Wow the list has really grown, hope it keeps getting bigger!)

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters

Thief

Chapter nineteen: Camp 03

As soon as her father hung up Sam got out of bed and tip toed to Danny's room. The door was open a crack. She peaked in; he was lying in his bed seemingly asleep. She opened the door and slid it closed behind her. She examined him; it didn't look like he had been out stealing last night. Then again she wasn't sure what she'd expect to see if he had, bullet wounds? Dog bites?

Would he really have broken his promise to her? Wait did he ever make a promise to stop stealing? She couldn't remember. Danny stirred.

Sam stood over his bed as he opened his eyes, blinking in surprise a few times. "Sam?"

"So do anything interesting last night?" she asked.

He thought about it, "No, why?"

"Because my father just called, apparently phantom struck again last night." She couldn't keep the venom from her voice.

Danny winced at it. "I didn't Sam I swear."

She looked at him for a long moment before turning and leaving the room. It was all she could do to keep from crying until she reached her own room. She wasn't even sure what she was crying about. That she had thought Danny had changed, or that she couldn't bring herself to believe him when he said he hadn't done it.

That though brought her up short, why didn't she believe him? She trusted him completely but it was like a voice in her head kept saying 'who else could it be?'

She felt worn down, her muscles hurt, she just couldn't keep her thoughts straight. Sam lay back on her bed and absently played with a pair of thick glasses. There had to be some way to know. Tucker!

They always worked together, he'd know if Danny had been up to anything. But as soon as she had the thought she realized he was still at the resort. Or was he? She pulled out her cell phone and dialed Valerie's number. After a quick talk Sam found out Tucker had had them leave yesterday afternoon on no notice. Saying he had forgot something important.

Sam convinced her to bring Tucker over so she could speak with him; Valerie gave a little laugh guessing it was something to do with Danny. But if she had known the real reason Sam doubted she'd be laughing.

Sam quickly changed into warmer clothes. She left her room and considered talking to Danny again but the little voice told her it would be a bad idea.

The streets were already packed with people and Sam stayed out of the way until a limo pulled up to the curb. She quickly climbed in to the back. Tucker sat there looking surprised to see her. "Sam? You're coming to the super model convention too?"

"What?" she asked.

Tucker put his head in his hands. "There is no super model convention is there?"

Valerie's voice came over the speaker. "Sorry no, she said she needed to talk with you."

"Fine, I guess it's ok as long as you give me a private show later Val." Tucker said, only half joking.

"Try it and they'll never find your body." Valerie said.

Tucker swallowed and cut off the speaker. "So Sam, what do you need?"

"Did Danny steal anything last night?" Sam asked.

Tucker nearly choked on a soda he had picked up. "What?"

"My dad called this morning and said phantom had struck again." She said.

"Did you ask Danny?" he said.

"He said he didn't do it." She said.

"And you don't believe him?" he said.

"I do but I don't. I don't know ok? I understand he had to do it to survive but now." She let the sentence dangle, not completely sure where she had been going with it.

Tucker shook his head. "Just like Danny never to explain things. Guess I better do it." He turned the speaker back on. "Valerie, to Nasty Burger."

Sam made a disgusted face. "You want to eat now?"

"Hey I'm hungry and besides we need to pick something up."

At the restaurant Tucker ordered 'his usual and a box' his usual consisted of three bags of nasty burgers and a large cardboard box. "Tucker don't tell me that things filled with burgers."

"In a way." He opened it and Sam saw hundreds of small coupon books, each filled with one free nasty burger coupons. Tucker refused to answer any other questions. Only telling Valerie to drive them to the bridge on forty second street by the river.

The limo pulled into an area that would have needed renovations to be called slums, and Sam got her first look at what the police referred to as camp 03. A huge tent city set up in the shadow of the bridge with over five hundred homeless people. The city had decided a long time ago that as long as they behaved they could stay there.

A chain-link fence ran from the corner of the bridge enclosing the tents and ending at the river. It had been patched with scrap metal and two guards sat in front of the only opening. Tucker climbed out carrying one of the bags. "Get the box will you Sam?"

Sam picked up the box and followed, Valerie stepped out as well but looked unsure if she should follow or watch the limo. Tucker glanced at her. "Don't worry about it, its safe."

She gave him a doubtful look but fell into line with Sam. The two guards watched them from under old hats. Tucker set the bag down in front of them. "Hey guys how goes it?"

"Not bad, here to see the big guy?" one asked.

"Yup."

He nodded to Sam and Valerie. "They cool?"

"Of course, friends of mine and Danny's." At the mention of Danny's name Sam noticed both guards set up a little straighter.

Tucker led them through the gate and down a row of mismatched tents. People smiled at him but eyed the girls wearily. They went to the foot of the bridge where several larger tents had been set up. A group of people were sitting around a fire to ward off the cold. Tucker set the box before them. "Hello fellows, the big guy free?"

"For you always." Said one of them opening a tent flap. Tucker went in followed by Sam and Valerie. Surprisingly the back flap of the tent was open and lead through a broken wall into the base of the bridge. Tucker sat down on an old beanbag chair and waited.

A few minutes later a huge man walked in from the bridge hold a huge wrench. He grinned widely at tucker. "Yo tinny, what's up?"

"Nothing much, thought I'd make a delivery and explain things to Sam. Give her the whole story, she already knows most of it."

He raised an eyebrow. "Really? And is Danny's ok with telling her?"

"Man you know him. He never remembers to give the whole story. Sides he and Sam have been through a lot and she deserves to know. I could tell her but I thought it would mean more coming from you guys."

"Alright."

"Thanks, come on Valerie lets go for a walk."

"What why can't we stay?" she asked.

"Cause this is for Sam, not you. No offence."

She grumbled but followed him out of the tent. Sam was a bit nervous about being left alone with the huge man. His smile was kind though. "So by tuckers words I guess you know about Danny's, abilities. The ones that made him a good choice for the mob?"

"Yes. I don't mean to be rude but what's going on?"

"Danny did steal but he never used the money for himself. Him and tucker brought it all here. Sometimes in cash so we could buy things we needed, sometimes in nasty burger food or other supplies. Well that's the simple version."

He took a deep breath. "The whole story is that after he ran away from home he drifted around the city for a while. Last winter he was on the street nearly dead. We found him and brought him in. It was a lot worse then, little food, no good clothes. He had already had the offer from the mob but turned them down because he did not wish to become a thief. After a short time with us though he disappeared, two days later he showed back up with the money."

"We aren't strangers to the mob; we've done the occasional odd job for them. Nothing like what he did though, it was too dangerous. That's why he never lived here, to keep us out of trouble. Not that most people here know this, they know Tucker and Danny supply us with what we need but that's it. Tucker tries to help us through legal means but until he turns eighteen and has access to his families money there is little he can do. I know he is planning to build a permanent shelter for us in a few years."

Sam felt guilt, Danny and Tucker had been doing so much to help these people, the most she'd ever done was help at a soup kitchen a couple of times. Still she needed to ask him if Danny had been stealing the night before. No one had answered that yet, and she guessed Tucker brought her there so she could get an answer. At least he better have.

Before she could though someone burst in through the flaps. "The police are here."

"How many"

"Three, two norms." He glared at Sam. "And her father."

(A/N: Opps, looks like there's some trouble coming. Hope you enjoyed, just a warning, next week's chapter ends at an even worse part! I do love torturing you so hehe. Ok clearly I need to go to sleep now.)


	21. The new Thief

(A/N: Hello again, might not be my best written chapter but I'm under time constraints, finals coming up. So enjoy and review. And thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter.

dreamcrasher

fawnlovesyou: you have no idea how much

HockeyGal09

HockeyGal09

Danny Phantom Phanatic

madman42

Luiz4200: if you like things so far wait till the end of this chapter

Frostphantom

Frostphantom

BubblesHere1

Thelittlemonster17

littlesongbird34: num num num thank you for the cookie

Sunshine-Midnight123

Dannyandsamlover

gothsamphan14

GhostMajor

Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom

Thief

Chapter 20: The new Thief

"My father?" Sam said.

"Yes, you lead him here didn't you?" he pulled a knife and waved the metal under her throat. "What game are you playing?"

The wrench slammed down on the knife denting its blade. "If her father is here do you really think it's a good idea to attack her?"

"Well, I mean." He stuttered.

"Besides Tucker and Danny trust her. If you try anything this stupide again I will leave you for the bridge spirit!"

He turned to Sam, "I take it you don't want your father to know you're here?"

Sam shook her head. "Alright, go into the bridge, there are plenty of places to hide. I'll send someone to find you when he's gone."

He shoved her through the open brickwork. Sam moved into the shadows but didn't leave. Curiosity forced her to stay and find out what her father was doing there. Two officers entered glaring around the tent. Sam didn't recognize either of them. Her father followed them in and took a seat like this was just another meeting at the police station. "Sorry to show up like this, I think we gave some of your people a scare."

"I'd make small talk but we're both busy men. What do you need?"

"Information. What do you know about the thief, Phantom?" He asked.

"Just the rumors. In case you hadn't noticed we don't have much to steal."

"Ok then, what about the bridge spirit?" He asked.

"I figured you'd have asked about that a long time ago."

"I was trying to look the other way. The downed angles were a big problem for us too until you took care of them."

"Wasn't us."

"Then who was it?"

"The bridge spirit. A ghost that protects us, at least it did when they tried to drive us out."

"Yes right around the time Phantom showed up. I'll lay it out for you. We ignore all of you as long as you stay out of trouble but Phantom is a wanted criminal. If you are protecting him we'll have no choice but to act."

"Why wait?" one of the officers said. "Just burn this place to the ground and get rid of the trash."

"Trash? Tell me sir why are we trash? Because we can not find steady work like you?"

"You're all trash!" he said.

Sam filched when she saw her father look. And she thought she had seen his worst. "That is enough, we are guests here. Another word and I'll put you in the stupide mascots costume until you retire."

"Yes sir."

Sam's father turned back to the camps leader. "Is there a connection between them?"

"No. the bridge spirit is a ghost. Phantom is human. I swear to this."

"Alright, if you hear anything." He said standing up. Then paused. "Oh one more thing, have you seen this boy?"

Even from her hiding spot Sam could see it was a picture of Danny. "Maybe, last winter someone came through here that looked like him. At least if he'd spent awhile of the street."

"Is he still here?"

"No, he left a few days later. Hasn't been back since. I'll put out the word for him though. Might be someone still knows where he is."

Her father nodded and left with the officers. Sam waited several minutes before coming out. "So were you lying about Danny and the bridge spirit?"

"Yes. When that gang tried to move us out he stopped them. Damn near killed himself doing it, then his parents showed up blathering on about ghosts. Took most of us to hide him from him." He signed. "Alright girly what's still bothering you."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"One talent I've developed is reading people. You've had something bothering you since you got here so spit it out."

"Phantom stole something last night." Sam said.

"Did you ask Danny?"

"Yes, he said it wasn't him."

"And you don't believe him?"

"I want to, but who else could it have been?"

"That's easy, a ghost. A real one. There are a lot of them out there. Most stay clear of Danny though. I know what was stolen too."

"What?"

"A book."

"A book?"

"Yes, wasn't even that rare, worth a few hundred at best. The mob wouldn't waist Phantom on something like that, if they wanted it they could have bought it, it was up for sale."

"So it really wasn't Danny?"

"Unless he's developed a taste for bad eighteenth century gothic poetry then no. I suggest you go talk with him though."

"Alright thanks, uh I didn't catch you name."

"Jimton. Oh and before you go." He handed her a worn cloth and jacket. "Might want to put those on in case your dad or someone's watching."

"Got it." She put them on and left the tent. Right outside she found Tucker and Valerie in tattered clothes sitting around a fire.

Tucker smiled at her. "Have a nice conversation?"

"Yea."

"Good, I need to speak with him real quick then we can go." Tucker said entering the tent.

Sam sat down by Valerie. "Find out what you wanted to know?" Valerie asked.

"Yea I think so. Sorry you had to get dragged down here too."

"It's ok, I thought my family had it rough but these people. You know they have kids here? While you were in there they all ran out to play with Tucker. When the police showed up he just grabbed them and me and hid us."

"Not the sexist doofes you thought he was?"

"No he is, but he does have his good points." She said.

Tucker came out and they made their way back through the camp to the limo. Valerie opened the door. Danny was sitting inside. He didn't look happy. "Anyone care to explain what's going on?"

"Uh, Danny, why don't you and Sam talk and I'll go sit in front with Val." Tucker said hurrying to the front of the limo.

Sam got in with Danny. She couldn't look him in the yes. She pulled her legs up until she was hugging them. She hated this, hated not just trusting Danny, her own thoughts seeming so jumbled up. "Alright I'm sorry. I should have just believed you."

"But you didn't. Not until you had talked to Jimton, a stranger."

"I said I was sorry alright?" she hated felling like this; she hated showing this kind of weakness. But with Danny is wasn't quite as bad. "What do I have to do to make it up to you?"

"I don't know." He admitted.

They rod on in silence until the limo pulled over and Tucker opened the door. "Ok everyone out."

Danny and Sam looked around confused. They were in a small park on the bank of the river. Tucker dove back in the limo. "Sorry but you two need to work things out, so get working." He said as they speed away.

"Tucker! You'll pay for this." Danny shouted after him.

"Save enough for me." Sam added.

"So should we fly back or walk?"

"Let's walk." Sam said, hoping to put off the rest of their conversation. She knew she had hurt him, and everything he had done to help her and deal with himself just made it seem so much worse. Another thing that weighed on her mind was the fact that it was bothering her like this. Under normal circumstances she'd have apologized and tried to move on but now she seemed stuck. It was so unlike her that it actually scared her. Something else that wasn't normal.

Two hours later they were still walking along the river. It seemed that every other block there was construction work and they had to go around on some insane path the cost them four times as long as it should have. Sam was regretting not flying. Her muscles that were soar that morning were screaming now. She winced with every step.

Danny had mostly been lost in thought but when he noticed her cringing he felt bad. He wasn't exactly the most trusting person either, it had saved is life a couple of times. "Want to stop and grab something to eat?"

"Sure." She said. They walked into a small riverside dinner. The inside was crowded but a small deck was empty and they sat at one of its tables watching the river. Almost everything on the menu had some kind of meat in it but she finally found something she would eat and ordered the sea salad.

Danny picked at his food. "Sam, I'm sorry for getting mad at you. I can't blame you for being suspicious."

"I should have believed you though, it's just, I don't know it's like I can't keep my thoughts straight sometimes."

"You've had a lot to deal with lately. So forgive and forget?" Danny offered.

"Deal."

"So want me to fly us the rest of the way?"

"Sure, looks like it's the only way we'll make it home before spring."

After they finished eating they took a small set of stairs under the deck until they were hidden from view. Danny changed forms and picked Sam up. She relaxed into his arms; she hadn't realized how tense she had been until then. Invisible to the city they rose into the air and flew lazily towards Sams apartment.

They landed inside and Sam went to take a warm bath to try and work out the soreness in her legs. She must have dosed off because she was awoken to Danny knocking on the door checking on her. "Yea I'm fine, be right out."

She got out of the now cold water and dried off putting on lose fitting clothes. The bath didn't seem to have done her any good. Danny was watching the television in the living room. Sam went to the kitchen and put water on to boil for tea, then went to a bookshelf and pulled one off at random.

When her tea was done she went to the couch and leaned against Danny, he made a very comfortable pillow. She stretched out her legs and sipped the warm drink. "So what are you reading?" he asked.

Sam looked at the book. She couldn't remember getting it but had probably picked it up and some secondhand store. "I don't know, I haven't read it yet."

She opened it and started laughing; it was filled with some of the worst poetry she had ever heard.

"_Oh flowing river that does ever run,  
Like the thoughts of a poet come undone.  
Take my hand gently for I am a virgin to your voice  
and am but a novice  
to your warm corice_."

"Oh man its horrible. I hope you didn't actually pay money for that." Danny said.

"It's not that bad, ok it is but its funny bad." Sam said, she continued to read until she fell asleep. Danny watched her sleep. He moved a few strands of hair from her face. He didn't want to wake so he decided to sleep on the couch too.

Sam woke up feeling exhausted, every muscle hurt as if she had just run back to back marathons. Her legs and stomach burned, her throat was dry. She winced as she got up. She was on her living room floor. With some difficulty she climbed back onto the couch where Danny was still sleeping.

As soon as she laid her head on his lap she felt better, a calm cool spread through her and she fell asleep again.

Much too soon she was gently shaken awake. "Sam?"

"Nhh, just let me sleep. Please."

"Come on its almost ten, you at least need to eat something. Man you look rough. Did you sleep at all last night."

Sam sat up feeling dizzy. Her whole body felt arm. Danny put a hand on her head; she leaned into his cool touch. "Looks like you have a fever."

"I'll be fine." She said standing on shaky feet; Danny caught her as she stumbled. He helped her to her bed, she sighed as she sank onto her cool sheets. She grabbed her cell phone and called her grandmother.

Sam's grandmother was there in under a minute, dressed in a karate outfit with a sword slung over her shoulder. She checked Sam over, declared that she was sick and gave Danny a list of things to do for Sam. Then left saying to call her if they needed. As she was leaving Danny asked what the sword was for, all she'd say was that it was a haggling tool.

Danny looked over the list. The first thing was to make a vegetable stew for Sam. It was surprisingly easy to cook, and while Danny didn't particularly like the taste he was proud in the fact it was clearly edible. He woke Sam long enough for her to eat a small bowls worth.

In the late afternoon Sam woke up feeling better. She instead on getting out of bed and Danny followed her to the couch in case she needed help but she seemed to be doing fine. She sat down a turned on the television. It was a news report about Phantom. The night before two more rare books had been stolen.

"I swear Sam I didn't do it."

"I believe you." She leaned against him and stifled a yawn.

"Sam. I think tonight I should go out and see if I can find out who's stealing these books. It's probably some bookworm ghost or something."

"Alright, but be careful. My dad's still after you."

"He hasn't caught me yet. You'll be ok for a while?"

"Yeah. I feel like going back to sleep." Sam said curling up on the couch. Danny covered her with a blanket before he ghosted through the window. He had already had tucker don some checking for him. If the ghost was only after old books then sooner or later the city library would be hit.

Danny ghosted through the library's roof and down into the book vault. He floated invisible near one of the corners and waited. Large bookshelf's made of knotted wood covered the walls. The room smelled like old paper and dust. Just after two in the morning he was almost ready to give up and go back to check on Sam. He had never realized how boring a stakeout could be and felt a pang of sympathy for all the police who must have spent countless nights like these waiting for him.

A shadow shifted by a small window, Danny had ignored. Thinking it was too small for anyone to fit through. He watched as a figure slipped in and twisted to the ground. His ghost since hadn't gone off. He hadn't really considered it might be a normal person. A ghost he could deal with, but a human. After all his thefts did he even have the right?

While he considered it the figure carefully placed a book into a small bag. Walked over to the window and jumped up to it. Danny blinked. The window was twelve feet from the ground and the figure had made the jump like they were skipping over a puddle. Something was wrong.

He ghosted through the wall and looked for the figure, he caught sight of their feet climbing over the edge of the roof. The figure ran across the roof and jumped. Grabbing onto a fire escape on the building next to the library climbing it. Danny followed. As soon as the figure was on the next roof he became visible. "If you want to check out those books, I'm going to need to see your library card."

The figure froze. Danny took a good look at them. It was a girl in a form fitting black leotard. She slowly turned to face Danny. He gasped. "Sam?"

Her face was distorted by thick glasses but it was defiantly her, she smiled and jumped from the roof.

(A/N: Hope you liked it, please don't kill me for that cliffy. I'll make it up to you. In the next chapter Danny is forced to go home. Wait does that make the cliffy worse?)


	22. Going Home

(A/N: I am so sorry this is late. Way more finals work then there was supposed to be. I am really sorry for leaving off at the cliff for an extra week and a half. So enjoy this chapter. Thanks to my reviewers.

thanks this was one of my favorite reviews

book phan44

niyadawiz

GhostMajor

littlesongbird34

Turkeyhead987 here's the update, please don't assault me with cooking implements

madman42

Crazy Joe IFBA

HockeyGal09

Danny Phantom Phanatic

Luiz4200

Thelittlemonster17

Frostphantom

fawnlovesyou

Aaron Leach

Thank you all for the reviews!

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom

Thief

Chapter 21: Going Home

Danny flew over the buildings lip, Sam fell, her legs tensed. Her feet brushed the buildings side and she sprung with inhuman strength across the gap to the next building. She passed through the glass. Danny followed.

Sam moved through apartments kicking in doors, ghosting through those that didn't yield the first time or a wall to lose him. Every time Danny got close to her she'd twist or turn and dodge him. Scared faces flashed past them in more than one apartment, he ignored them.

Down a hall, another apartment. At the stairwell Sam jumped over the banister and fell several stories before springing out an emergency exit. Danny flew over the street watching her. She ran up a steep hill like a marathon runner.

After several blocks, at the hills peak, Sam stopped and crouched behind a wall of vines. She was on a small overlook that presented a view of the city. Danny appeared behind her. "Sam, what's going on."

She spun around; her skin was deathly pail, covered in sweat. Deep purple bags hung under her eyes, her hair clung to her head. "And I thought I had finally lost you. You're good."

Danny shivered, it wasn't Sam's voice, it wasn't even female. "Who are you?"

"Who knows, its been so long. You know you made me waist another night in this body. It has maybe one or two left in it. It was a good one though."

"Get out of Sam now!" green energy sounded Danny's hands.

"Why would I do that? She's been so useful to me. Besides even if it's only another night or two I intend to use this body to the fullest before I move onto the next."

Danny's fired a wave of energy at Sam. She smiled and slipped through the ground. Danny was about to follow but tires screeched behind him. He turned and found Sam's father with a gun pointed at him. "Phantom I take it? If it hadn't been for your light show I'd have never stopped."

"I don't have time for this." Danny ghosted through the ground, catching a last glimpse of a shocked inspector.

He spent hours searching the city, even checking her apartment. But there was no sign of Sam. As dawn approached he had to admit he needed help. No matter the cost. As the sky turned pink he flew towards his home.

Danny landed in the small yard behind his home. It didn't look any different. He walked to the wall and pressed his hand against it, he had planned to ghost into his parents lab and take as much gear as he could grab. Hopefully they'd have something that could track a ghost overshadowing a person. But he couldn't pass through the wall. He floated around the building, but everywhere besides the doors and window he met resistance. "Of Couse they'd figure out a way to ghost proof the place."

He slipped through the kitchen window, turning back into his human form. There were no lights on, everyone must have still been asleep. It had been so long since he had stood there, everything seemed the same. The fridge was covered in papers, Jazz's reports, and A's. And his third grade assignment on astronauts.

He walked quietly towards the basement stairs, half his mind screaming for him to get out of there and half wanting to go to his room and just lay in his bed. But both half's agreed he had to save Sam.

His parent's lab was just as messy as he remembered. Their finished projects hung on the walls. He grabbed a pack and started shoving everything he could grab into it.

The lights flicked on, Danny froze, slowly he turned to the stairs. Jazz stood at the bottom watching him with a combination of shock, confusing and relief. Danny took in his escape options. The only clean path was through Jazz. She smiled. "Don't worry mom and dad are still looking for you up and the ski resort."

Danny flinched; he hated how she could read his mind so easily. "Jazz, i."

"You didn't come back to stay did you?"

"No, I have to do something."

She looked at the pack. "Involving ghosts?"

He nodded. She looked thoughtful for a moment, arguing with herself. Then she grabbed a ghost rifle by the door. Danny was sure he was about to be shot again, but she only popped off a panel and pulled out a chip. "Dad's been putting tracking chips in all their inventions for months. He's convinced the government wants them. Better take them out of your toys."

"Thanks."

"Danny. Listen I know you're busy. I can see that. But promise you'll come back? You don't even have to see mom and dad. But I'm always here for you, and I miss you."

Danny tried not to become emotional. He had to focus. Jazz walked to a small alcove and pressed several hidden buttons. It slide away to show several carefully labeled weapons. And an odd assortment of what looked like house hold cleaning items. "Mom hid some of the best stuff from dad, he caused too much trouble with these."

He picked up a small hand vac. "I'm not sure this will help much."

"It's supposed to be able to suck a ghost out of a person, all i know is that it's great for taking off a teacher wig."

Danny put it into his pack. "Thanks Jazz."

"Anytime." She pulled him into a hug; he returned it for a moment before wiggling free and running up the stairs. Jazz smiled and pulled out her cell phone. On it was a map of the city, a small dot moved away from their house. "Just cause I'll keep mom and dad from finding you doesn't mean I won't track you down myself."

Then she frowned, the dot had speed up. "Did he get into a jet?"

* * *

Danny ran into the alley behind his house before transforming. He flew towards the north side of the city, trying to call Tucker again. The entire night he had been getting his voice mail. The dawn broke over the horizon and Danny hovered by a skyscraper. The tracking device his parents had been using to watch the city for ghost activity rested in his hand. A small green circle over laid a much larger map of the city. "Maybe I can boost the signal."

Slowly the green circle expanded a few blocks. "Ok guess I'll have to search the whole city."

If any of the morning commuters had looked up that day they might have seen a white haired ghost criss-crossing the city. But by noon he was no closer to finding Sam then he had been eight hours before. The city had never seemed so big before either. Now he found himself on the outskirts of the city near an abandoned hospital he had briefly used as shelter when he first ended up on the streets. He'd had to find a new place because Tucker refused to come near here.

As the sun set Danny could barely keep himself in the air. It felt likes week since he had slept and he had reached the south end of the city without any sign of Sam. As he flew over some old warehouses a red dot appeared in the circle. Danny shot down and through the roof. "Alright where are you!"

Silence, then. "BEWARE!"

Several empty boxes shot at Danny. He phased through them. "I don't have time for this."

"BEWARE child, for I am the master of all things square and rectangular!"

"Fine go back to playing with your boxes." Danny checked the tracker again but there was no signal other than his and the box ghosts.

"I will play, WITH YOUR DOOM!" more boxes rose and flew towards him.

Danny didn't bother phasing this time; he just burned them with a beam of energy. "OH, that is not fair! How dare you damage the property of the box ghost!"

"I already said I don't have time to deal with you." The tracker shot from his hand to the box ghosts.

"I claim this box for myself!"

Energy gathered at Danny's hand. "Give that back, now."

"Why? It is mine! Besides you will never find your girlfriend with this."

Danny shot across the distance between them, grabbed the Box ghost's shirt collar and slammed him against the wall. "How did you know I was looking for Sam?"

"I spoke with her; the ghost controlling her has taken domain of the boxes containing words."

Danny shook him. "When! Where is she now?"

"Last week, and I shall not reveal her location."

More energy gathered in Dannys hand until it lit the building. "Tell me everything you know or we'll find out right here and now if ghosts can die."

"Alright alright! The ghost is old and powerful, but it has no form of its own anymore so it steals bodies. Its true spirit resides in the glasses. You must get them off of her, but even then as long as she is near them it will retain some control."

"Good, now where is she?"

"The building, where you lived until you went with her."

Danny released him, after taking the tracker back. The Box ghost flew up to the ceiling. "BEWARE!"

Danny raced across the city. The tracker didn't show any ghost activity inside the building but it was his only lead. He ghosted inside; everything looked the same, except nearly every available surface was covered in books.

He floated through the ceiling to the room he had lived in. Sam sat against a back wall. Her skin was as pale as ice, the purple circles under her eyes were larger and he could see her cheek bones. She stirred and looked at him, her eyes were dark and dulled. Her voice was a weak whisper. "Danny?"

He moved towards her, her hand came up and slipped the glasses onto her face. She shuddered. "You again. This body has hours left and you intend to make me waist them."

"Get out of Sam now." Danny said trying to keep his voice as level as possible.

"I will be out soon enough. But I will use what time I have left to insure that you can not interfere next time." A bolt of violet energy shot from Sam's hand and just missed Danny.

He dodged several more blasts; her aim seemed to become worse with each one. "Curse it, the longer you are near the weaker my hold becomes. Fine I will end this now, forgive me my dear friends."

Sam raised her hands in an exaggerated gesture. A single sheet of paper rose through a crack in the floor. It floated over and stuck to Danny's leg. Another one floated up, and another. Paper rushed through the floor and door.

Danny's hands flashed green as he burned off the paper, but there was too much. It wrapped around his waist pressing in, weighing him down. He tried to phase through it but it didn't work and in the split second he stopped burning the paper to try, it overwhelmed him.

He reached out towards Sam, the ghost controlling her just grinned as the paper covered his head. Everything was still for a moment before the paper started tightening. A muted flash showed he had been forced back into his human form. "I can't imagine how horrible it must be to be strangled and crushed alive in there."

Absently she reached out and ran her hand over where his cheek would be. He fingers froze, it felt like electricity was running through her. "What's going on?"

Her other hand moved in jerking motions towards her face. "No, you can't be in control, I own you now!"

The hand didn't stop, she leaned back trying to move her face away from her fingers. "I said no! this is impossible. I am in control!"

Her fingers brushed the glasses, and knocked them to the floor. Sam collapsed.

A sheet of paper fell away from the cocoon around Danny, then another, then chunks came away. Danny gasped for breath as his head was exposed. As more paper broke away he fell to the floor. He took out a thermos he had taken from his parent's lab that was supposed to be able to capture ghosts and shoved the glasses in closing the cap.

Sam shuddered, then rolled onto her back. "I feel like crap, best I've felt all week."

"Sam!" Danny scoped her up in his arms, she felt so light now.

"Can we go home? I really want to get out of this stupide leotard." She said with a weak smile.

"Sure thing." Danny ghosted them through the roof and flew across town to her apartment. Surprisingly her grandmother was waiting in Sam's kitchen when they arrived. "What in the world happened to you?"

Sam had fallen asleep on the flight back so Danny tried to explain. "Sam put on a pair of possessed glasses and a ghost took over her so it could steal books."

Her grandmother studied him for a moment. "Alright, go put her in bed; I'll take care of things here. Then go do whatever you need to with those glasses. May I suggest an arch welder? I have one in my broom closet if you want."

"Uh thanks, but that probably wouldn't be the best idea."

"Phowe, you're as bad as my son. Never liking my ideas."

Danny set Sam in bed then ghost onto the building's roof and looked at the thermos. He really had no idea what to do with it. Back when he had first gotten his powers he'd fought a lot of ghosts, he'd win and they'd leave. He'd never caught one before, and really didn't know what to do with one. Still, it was a thief so maybe.

He stood; this was either a good idea or a very very bad one. But only one way to find.

* * *

Sam's father sat at his desk when he sensed someone behind him, he spun drawing his gun. Phantom stood by his window.

Danny watched Sam's father, puzzled when he put his gun away. "Not much use since it can't hurt you. Only'd blow a hole in my wall. What do you want? If it was to get rid of me you'd have already done it, you are a professional after all."

"A thief, not a murderer. There is a line."

"Not much of one."

"Enough of one. I'm here to tell you I haven't been the one stealing books."

"Oh? And who has? Another ghost maybe?"

"Yes." He set the thermos on his desk. "insides a pair of glasses, there's a ghost in them that takes over people. It was the one stealing the books."

Sam's father studied him. "Alright I'll buy that for now. I can't think of any reason for you to lie to me about this. Besides I can easily find out what's really in here, I know the Fentons."

Danny nodded, he figured Sam's father would do something like that. "Just make sure Jack doesn't try to put them on." He turned to leave but the inspector's next words stopped him dead.

"Anyone ever tell you, you look a lot like the Fentons missing son Danny?"

Danny hoped Sam's father hadn't seen the way he shivered at the question. "They mentioned it the last time they were shooting at me." Then he disappeared.

* * *

Back at Sam's apartment he found a note on the table.

_Taken Sam to the hospital with a bad case of the _flu.

Danny flew to the hospital, and after ghosting through the first two floors finally checked a computer at a nurses station for Sam's name. surprisingly they already had her in a private room. When he got there he had to wait for a doctor to leave before he could show himself.

Sam was wearing a hospital gown with pink dots. She was scowling at it so hard he worried it would burst into flames. "If you ever tell anyone I wore this I will kill the half of you that's still alive."

"Don't worry you're secrets are safe with me."

The door opened and Danny disappeared as Sam's father walked in. "Sam."

He rushed to the bed and enveloped her in a hug. Sam struggled to get out of it. "Dad, I need air. Come on the doctor says its just exhaustion; I'll be fine after a few days' rest."

"I know, but I'm a parent it's in my job description."

"I thought your job description had something to do with to serve and protect. Are you alright you seem, frazzled."

He ran a hand through his hair. "That easy to read huh? Yeah I am. You'll never guess what just happened."

"What?" Sam asked, half curious and half wanting to keep the topic off of herself.

"Phantom came to see me tonight. He's a ghost, a real one. But he's also a kid. About your age. It was unnerving. He had the same look as some kids we bring in on robbery charges. Regret and resolve. I've always tried to help the ones who still looked like they had hope. And he was full of it. But he works for the mob. That's another thing why would a ghost work for the mob? Everything just got so more complicated."

Sam shrugged. "Who knows how a ghost thinks. Besides just cause he works for them doesn't mean he has to like it."

"True, sorry for rambling. You just get some rest."

"No problem, always happy to hear about a case."

"Just like when you were little." He said and left.

Danny reappeared. Sam looked at him. "Did you really only talk to him?"

"Yeah why?"

"Cause he seemed, different. More like he was when I was little and he'd tell me all about his cases. He hasn't really done that in years."

"I have no idea." Danny said stifling a yawn.

They both jumped at a light laugh, neither had heard Sam's grandmother come into the room. "Doesn't sound like you've had a good night sleep in a while. Go on get some rest."

Danny glanced at Sam. "You'll be alright if I leave?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine Danny."

"Oh for heaven's sake! You don't have a romantic bone in your body. Just sleep on the floor next to her bed. I'll make sure no one finds you."

"I don't think Danny would be comfortable on the floor." Sam pointed out.

"You're both so tired it could be a bed of nails. But fine scoot over so he can share your bed."

"What? Grandmother!"

"Come now we both know you won't get a good night's sleep without him around so stop arguing." She said driving her scooter into the hall and closing the door.

"I can't believe her."

"I don't know, she reminds me a lot of you Sam."

"Well I do like her scooter. So, should we, share the bed?"

Danny grabbed a pillow and lay on the floor. On the side of her bed hidden from the door. "Nah it'll be easier for me to disappear here. Night Sam."

"Night Danny."

As Danny drifted off her saw Sam's hand hanging over the side of the bed, he reached up and intertwined his fingers with hers.

(A/N: Hope you enjoyed. Review and see you Wednesday.)


End file.
